isa-normaladvance-1909-00015

Description:	THE NORMAL ADVANCE15sink to the bottom: bodies of water would,therefore freeze from the bottom upward: inhot weather only a thin skim of surface icewould melt thus, lakes, rivers and oceanswould become forever solid, and life on ourearth would become extinct.We now turn our attention to the expansionof gases. In general, it may be said that theexpansion of gases is quite regular, and isnearly the same for all gases: .003665 or 1-273.This means that the gas considered will expand1-273 of its volume at 0 degrees, for every degree it rises in temperature. Thus 273 cc. ofair at 0 degrees, when heated, expand for eachdegree by which the temperature is raised 1-273cc, or lcc, and the volume therefore becomes274 cc. At 100 degrees it is 373 cc, etc.Perhaps, the most common illustration of thepractical use of expansion of gases is the steamengine, whose motive power is the expansiveforce of vapor of water. Of what incalculablevalue to the industrial world is the law of expansion in this case! The air thermometer,invented by Galileo, (which by the way, wasthe original thermometer), also illustrates thisprinciple. In this instrument, air, being moresensitive to change of temperature than theliquids, is used. It was from experiments withthe air thermometer, that Charles was able toenunciate the famous Charless law, whichestablishes, theoretically, the absolute zero.Again, Nature, never to be outdone by man,has used expansion of gases upon a grand scale.Her fundamental processes for furnishing theproper conditions in the world necessary to lifeemploy this law. The heat of summer, so indispensable to the growth of plant and animallife, and the warmth that prevents the cold ofour winter from reaching the extreme temperature of the polar regions depend alike uponconvection. Indeed, it would be practically impossible to heat the air of one small room without bringing this principle into play.The sun shines down upon the sea .the wateris heated and expands into vapor the air overthe water is heated it expands it rises, carrying the vapor with it currents of air—thewinds—result: the vapor of water is carriedhigh over the thirsting continent it comes incontact with a stratum of cold air the warmair is cooled it contracts clouds are formed it rains upon the earth plants and animalsdrink, and life is sustained.Think of our globe without land, withoutwind, without clouds, without rain, withoutlife! But for this one law of expansion byheat and contraction by cold, perpetual winterwould mightily reign over a landless, windless,rainless and lifeless world. And thus throughScience do we arrive at a truth more strangethan fiction: that back of this law stands not amere blind force as the fatalists would have usbelieve but a wise beneficient Intelligence, whoholds us,—earth and all, in the hollow of Hishand.Season of mist and mellow fruitfullness!Close bosom-friend of the maturing sun Conspiring with him how to load and blessWith fruit the vines that round the thatch-eaves run To bend with apples, the mossd cottage trees,And fill all fruit with ripeness to the core.—Keats.
Source:	http://indstate.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/isuarchive/id/34045
Collection:	Indiana State University Archives

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