A most remarkable phenomenon is produced in glass tubes, under certain circumstances. When these are laid before a fire in a horizontal position, having their extremities properly supported, they acquire a rotatory motion round their axis, and also a progressive motion towards the fire, even when their supports are declining from the fire, so that the tubes will move a little way upwards to the fire. When the progressive motion of the tubes towards the fire is stopped by any obstacle, their rotation still continues. When the tubes are placed in a nearly upright posture, leaning to the right hand, the motion will be from east to west; but if they lean to the left hand, the motion will be from west to east; and the nearer they are placed to the upright posture, the less will the motion be either way. If the tube be placed horizontally on a glass plane, the fragment, for instance, of coach window glass, instead of moving towards the fire, it will move from it, and about its axis in a contrary direction to what it had done before; nay, it will recede from the fire, and move a little upwards, when the plane inclines towards the fire. These experiments succeed best with tubes about twenty or twenty-two inches long, which have in each end a pretty strong pin fixed in cork for their axis.
AQUATIC BOMB.
Drop about two grains of potassium into a saucer of cold water. It will instantly burst into flame, with a slight explosion, burn vividly on the surface, and dart about with great violence in the form of a red-hot fire ball.
HEAT NOT TO BE ESTIMATED BY TOUCH.
Hold both hands in water which causes the thermometer to rise to ninety degrees, and when the liquid has become still, you will be insensible of the heat, and that the hand is touching any thing. Then remove one hand to water that causes the thermometer to rise to 200 degrees, and the other in water at thirty-two degrees. After holding the hands thus for some time, remove them, and again immerse them in the water at ninety degrees; when you will feel warmth in one hand and cold in the other. To the hand which had been immersed in the water at thirty-two degrees, the water at ninety degrees will feel hot; and to the hand which had been immersed in the water at 200 degrees, the water at ninety degrees will feel cold. If, therefore, the touch in this case be trusted, the same water will be judged to be hot and cold at the same time.
FLAME UPON WATER.
Fill a wine-glass with cold water, pour lightly upon its surface a little ether; light it by a slip of paper, and it will burn for some time.
ROSE-COLOURED FLAME ON WATER.
Drop a globule of potassium, about the size of a large pea, into a small cup nearly full of water, containing a drop or two of strong nitric acid; the moment that the metal touches the liquid, it will float upon its surface, enveloped with a beautiful rose-coloured flame, and entirely dissolve.