CAROLINE.
Are all the metals equally combustible?
MRS. B.
No; their attraction for oxygen varies extremely. There are some that will combine with it only at a very high temperature, or by the assistance of acids; whilst there are others that oxydate spontaneously and with great rapidity, even at the lowest temperature; such is in particular manganese, which scarcely ever exists in the metallic state, as it immediately absorbs oxygen on being exposed to the air, and crumbles to an oxyd in the course of a few hours.
EMILY.
Is not that the oxyd from which you extracted the oxygen gas?
MRS. B.
It is: so that, you see, this metal attracts oxygen at a low temperature, and parts with it when strongly heated.
EMILY.
Is there any other metal that oxydates at the temperature of the atmosphere?