The Art of Lead Burning / A practical treatise explaining the apparatus and processes.

by C. H. Fay

Fig. 3.—Experiment No. 2.

Proving That Hydrogen is Lighter Than Air.—Bring an inverted bottle of hydrogen close to an empty bottle, also inverted, Fig. 2. Gradually tip the bottle containing hydrogen (A) until it is brought to an upright position beneath the empty bottle. Test the bottles for hydrogen. The hydrogen will be found in the bottle (B) that was at first empty, proving that hydrogen is lighter than air, as it has risen in the empty bottle, displacing the air that was in it. If the bottle of hydrogen is left in an upright position without a cover for a few moments the gas will entirely disappear.

Experiment 3.

Fig. 4.—Experiment No. 3.

The Effect of Mixing Hydrogen and Air.—Half fill a bottle with water and invert it in a pan of water, Fig. 3, leaving the upper half filled with air. Displace the air in the bottle with hydrogen, then thrust a lighted splint into the bottle, and the gas will light with an explosion. When the bottle was half filled with water the other half was air. The hydrogen took the place of the water, so that the bottle contained equal quantities of hydrogen and air. When the hydrogen was lighted it combined with the oxygen in the air. The union of the two gases caused the explosion, proving that the combined gases are very explosive.

Experiment 4.

To Make Hydrogen From Water.—Drop a piece of potassium into a little water and cover it. The potassium floats on the water and soon burns. Potassium acts vigorously on cold water, setting free hydrogen, and unites with parts of it to form “caustic potash.”

CHAPTER IV.
THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE GENERATOR.

The construction of the generator is the first step in the mechanical part of the business, and to simplify this a complete set of reference drawings has been constructed and is herewith given. The assembling of the parts should be clear, with the assistance of the perspective drawing of the completed apparatus, and any mechanic of ordinary ability should be able to construct this generator without any trouble. The following bill of material should first be purchased: