The works of the Honourable Robert Boyle, Esq., epitomiz'd by Richard Boulton ... ; illustrated with copper plates.

TITLE V. Some Tryals about the Air, usually harbour'd in the Pores of VVater, &c.

* 1.1TO try how much Air is contain'd in a Quantity of Water, in reference to their Bulk: We fill'd a Chymical Pipe 36 In∣ches long, with Water, and inverted it in a Glass Vessel about ¼ of an Inch deep, and 2 Inches Diameter. These being included in a Receiver, the Air was pump'd out, and upon a Re-admis∣sion of it, the Bubble collected at the Top, wan∣ted 8/10 of about 100 part of an Inch. Soon after, a Tube, to be describ'd by and by, was fill'd with the same Water, and inverted; and when the Receiver, into which it was conveigh'd, was so far exhausted, that the Water in the Pipe

sunk even with the stagnant Water, Air was let in, and rose the Water within a Tenth part and ½ of an Inch to the Top. The Tube was 43 ¼ Inches above the stagnant Water; this Ex∣periment being twice try'd, the first time the Space possess'd by the Air was ¼ of an Inch, and more; the second it was ½ and 1/15. The first time the Water subsided level with the stagnant Water: In the second Tryal, within 4 or 5 In∣ches of it.

In these Experiments it was observable, that tho' the Air possess'd so little Room in the Pores of the Water, that the Water seem'd not to sub∣side when it was drawn out; yet, the Air in the Cavity of the Tube, possess'd a considerable Space.

Quare. Whether Water freed once of it's Air, will yield Air again? and whether there is not Air enough in the Pores of Water, to be ser∣viceable to Fishes, when suck'd through their Gills?

To discover more nicely what Quantity of Air is contain'd in the Pores of Water, we made use of a Pipe, which consisted of a Globous Part 3 ½ Inches Diameter, and a Stem 9 Inches long; an Inch of which, at the Top, was melted and drawn out 2 or 3 Inches, till it was as slender as a Crow Quill: This Glass being fill'd with Wa∣ter, was with a Pedestal conveigh'd into a Re∣ceiver, and upon evacuating of it, Bubbles plen∣tifully rose, and made a kind of a Froth or Foam, but breaking at the Top of the slender Pipe, they did not run over. When the Re∣ceiver had been pretty well exhausted, we left off pumping till the Water had been pretty well

freed from Bubbles; and so we successively pump'd and left off again, till the Water seem'd quite free from Air; and then, letting in External Air, the Water did not seem a Hairs breadth lower than before. The like Experiment was try'd with Claret, which made us think it worth while to try what kind of Substances may be obtain'd from Aerial and Spirituous Bodies, by handling them thus.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Air con∣ceal'd in the Pores of Water.