Important: Safety Warning
This page contains instructions involving gunpowder or other explosive or pyrotechnic compositions. Preparing explosives as described has caused severe injuries and deaths, and is illegal in most places.
This page describes practices involving highly flammable materials in ways that create a serious risk of fire or explosion.
This page, written for children, describes experiments or amusements involving hazardous chemicals, electricity, or projectiles. The activities described have caused serious injuries and should not be attempted at any age without proper training, supervision, and equipment.
This information has been left in for historical purposes but should not be acted upon.
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Example I: Experiment
The following Experiment shews the Power of Steam.
Put a little water in a bottle, and cork it securely, covering it with sealing wax; then put the bottle into a kettle of water, and let it boil a short time, and the steam will force out the cork.
Diminution of Heat by Evaporation.
Pour water on a piece of writing-paper, and hold it over a candle; it will boil without burning the paper.
Water may be boiled in an egg-shell on the fire.
Experiment to ascertain the Strength of Spirits of Wine. It is a common practice for apothecaries, in order to ascertain if spirit of wine be sufficiently strong, to pour some into a cup upon some gunpowder, and then to set fire to it. If the spirit be sufficiently strong, after burning down to the gunpowder, it will make it go off; but if too much water has been poured in, that will not take place, as, after the spirit is consumed, there will still be water enough to keep the powder wet.
To ascertain the Strength of Brine.
To ascertain the strength of brine for salting meat, it is usual to put an egg in the boiling water, and gradually put in salt until the egg be made to swim.
The following Experiments shew the Pressure and Elasticity of Air.
Put an empty bottle with a cork in it near the fire; the cork will be driven out.