On the existence of a limit to vaporization / [Michael Faraday].

  • Michael Faraday
Date:
1826
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: On the existence of a limit to vaporization / [Michael Faraday]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    be diminished, then it would expand, and exist of a lower tension ; upon the renewal of the gravitating force, either by approximation to the earth’s surface or otherwise, the parti- cles would approach each other, until the elasticity of the whole was again equal to the force of gravity. Inasmuch as gases and vapours undergo no change by mere expansion or attenuation, which can at all disturb the analogy existing between them in their permanent state un- der ordinary circumstances, all the phenomena which have been assumed as occurring with the air at the limit of our atmosphere may,with equal propriety,be admitted with respect to vapour in general in similar circumstances ; for we have no reason for supposing that the particles of one vapour more than another are free from the influence of gravity, although the force may, and without doubt does, vary, with the weight and elasticity of the particles of each particular substance. It will be evident, also, that similar effects would be pro- duced by the force of gravity upon air or vapour of the ex- treme tenuity and feeble tension referred to, whatever be the means taken to bring it into that state; and it is not neces- sary to imagine the portion of air operated upon, as taken from the extremity of our atmosphere, for a portion of that at the earth’s surface, if it could be expanded to the same degree by an air pump, would undergo the same changes: when of a certain rarity it would just balance the attraction of gravitation and fill the receiver with vapour; but then, if half were taken out of the receiver, the remaining portion, in place of filling the vessel, would submit to the force of gravity, would contract into the lower half of the receiver, C
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