Page:Philosophical Transactions - Volume 095.djvu/87

Rh corresponding proportion far the ascent of the acid in a capillary tube, and which does not very materially differ from the proportion of .395 to 1, assigned by for this ascent. found it .8 to 1, but his acid was probably weak. For alcohol the adhesion was as .593, the height as .715, and its square as .510: the observed proportion in a tube, according to an experiment of, was about .550 according to from .400 to .440. The experiments on sulfuric, ether do not agree quite so well, but its quality is liable to very considerable variations. found the adhesion of alcohol .58, that of water being 1.

With respect to mercury, it has been shown by Professor of Metz, and by others, that its depression in tubes of glass depends on the imperfection of the contact, and that when it has been boiled in the tube often enough to expel all foreign particles, the surface may even become concave instead of convex, and the depression be converted into an elevation. But in barometers, constructed according to the usual methods, the angle of the mercury will be found to differ little from 140°; and in other experiments, when proper precautions are taken, the inclination will be nearly the same. The determination of this angle is necessary for finding the appropriate rectangle for the curvature of the surface of mercury, together with the observations of the quantity of depression in tubes of a given diameter. The table published by Mr. from the experiments of his father, Lord, appears to be best suited for this purpose. I have constructed a diagram, according to the principles already laid down, for each case, and I find that the rectangle which agrees best with the phenomena is .01. The mean depression is always .015,