On the absorption of carbonic acid gas by liquids / by W.B. Rogers and R.E. Rogers.

  • Rogers, William Barton, 1804-1882.
Date:
1848
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: On the absorption of carbonic acid gas by liquids / by W.B. Rogers and R.E. Rogers. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    In the syphon formed apparatus used by Dr. Henry, the flexi- ble tube beneath, facilitates the experiment by enabling the ope- rator to apply agitation to the wider limb containing the gas and liquid, but the results are exposed to error from the dilation of the flexible connection and from the effects of concussive com- '• pression caused by shaking a large mass of mercury with the gas I and absorbent liquid. Of course, this method is inapplicable ■ where the liquid reacts upon the mercury. From what has now been stated, it will we think be apparent : that the modes of experimenting on this subject, used by the dis- tinguished chemists referred to, were not adapted to an accurate determination of the absorbent power of liquids. To be capable of precise results, the absorbing apparatus must fulfill the follow- ing conditions:— First. It must provide means for maintaining the temperature uniform throughout the experiment. Second. It must maintain the tension of the gas unaltered. Third. It must afford means for rapid and continuous agita- tion of the liquid with the gas. Fourth. The tube in which the absorption is measured by the mercurial column, must be apart from the vessel in which the absorption occurs, and the mercury must not be introduced into that vessel. In view of these requisites we were led, after many unsatisfac- tory trials with other arrangements, to the form of apparatus rep- resented in the accompanying diagram, (see next page,) which, besides greatly expediting the experiments, affords uniform and consistent results seldom varying in successive trials, to the extent of one per cent., and which is equally applicable to all liquids. Absorption Apparatus.—This consists of a gasometer A, plunged in a large wooden reservoir B, containing water to the level indicated in the figure, adjoining which is a smaller but taller reservoir C, of glass, also containing water. In the latter is immersed, in a fixed vertical position from the strong frame above, a syphon-shaped measuring tube with a finely graduated scale between the limbs. A horizontal arm of thick barometer tube extending from the top of this, is united by a short gum- elastic joint, with a similar tube which bends down over the edge of the frame and is inserted below into the actual opening of the absorption flask D. Cylinder thermometers graduated to tenths of a degree are placed in the gasometer, large and small reservoir, and flask. [Figure 2 is a larger view of the flask.] The main reservoir, charged as indicated in the figure, contains five thousand six hundred cubic inches of water, the smaller one, of glass, six hundred cubic inches, and the gasometer three hun- dred cubic inches. The large volume of water in the reservoirs,