EVAPORATION OF A METAL.
Rub a globule of mercury upon a silver spoon, and the two metals will combine with a white appearance; heat the spoon carefully in the flame of a spirit-lamp, when the mercury will volatilize and disappear, and the spoon may then be polished until it recovers its usual lustre: if, however, the mercury be left for some time on the spoon, the solid texture of the silver will be destroyed throughout, and then the silver can only be recovered by heating it in a ladle.
A FLOATING METTLE ON FIRE.
Throw a small piece of that marvellous substance, potassium, into a basin of water, and it will swim upon the surface, and burn with a beautiful light, of a red colour mixed with violet. When moderately heated in the air, potassium takes fire, and burns with a red light.
HEAT AND COLD FROM FLANNEL.
Put a piece of ice into a basin, which wrap up in many folds of flannel, and the ice may be preserved for some time by the fireside.
ICE MELTED BY AIR.
If two pieces of ice be placed in a warm room, one of them may be made to melt much sooner than the other, by blowing on it with a pair of bellows.
TO HOLD A HOT TEA-KETTLE ON THE HAND.
Be sure that the bottom of the kettle is well covered with soot; when the water in it boils, remove it from the fire, and place it upon the palm of the hand; no inconvenience will be felt, as the soot will prevent the heat being transmitted, from the water within and the heated metal, to the hand.