  Q. What is water? A. Water is composed of two gases, oxygen and hydrogen. (In 9 lbs. of water, 8 are oxygen, and 1 is hydrogen.) Q. Why is water fluid? A. Because its particles are kept separate by latent heat; but when a certain quantity of this latent heat is driven out, water becomes solid, and is called ice. Q. How can water be converted into a gas? A. By increasing its latent heat, the particles, of water are again subdivided into invisible steam. Q. Why is pump water called hard water? A. Because it is laden with foreign matters, and will not readily dissolve substances immersed in it. Q. What makes pump-water hard? A. Because when it filters through the earth, it becomes impregnated with sulphate of lime, and many other impurities from the earths and minerals with which it comes in contact. Q. Why is it difficult to wash our hands clean with hard water? A. Because the soda of the soap combines with the sulphuric acid of the hard water, and the oil of the soap with the lime, and float in flakes on the top of the water. N.B. Sulphate of lime consists of sulphuric acid and lime. Q. Why is it difficult to wash in salt water? A. Because salt water contains muriatic acid; and the soda of soap combines Q. Why does a black hat turn red at the sea side? A. The muriatic acid of the sea-water disturbs the gallic acid of the black dye, and turns it red. Q. Of what is soap made? A. Of kelp (or the ashes of sea-weed dried and burnt in a pit) mixed with oil or fat. Yellow Soap is made of whale-oil, soda, and resin. Soft soap is made of oil and potash. Hard soap of oil and soda. Q. Why does water clean dirty linen? A. Because the oxygen of the water attaches itself to the stains of the linen, and dissolves them; as oxalic acid dissolves ink spots. Q. Why does soap greatly increase the cleansing power of water? A. 1st—Because soap increases the oxygen of the water: and 2ndly—It neutralizes the grease of the things washed. Q. Why is rain water soft? A. Because it has not come in contact with earths and minerals. Q. Why is it more easy to wash with soft water than with hard? A. Because it unites freely with the soap, dissolving it instead of decomposing it, as hard water does. Q. Why do wood ashes make hard water soft? A. 1st—Because the carbonic acid of the wood ashes combines with the sulphate of lime in the hard water, and converts it into chalk: and 2ndly—The sulphuric acid of the water combines with the potash of the wood ashes, and prevents it from neutralizing the oily matter of the soap. Q. Why has rain water such an unpleasant smell, when it is collected in a rain water tub or tank? A. Because it is impregnated with decomposed organic matter, washed from roofs, trees, or the casks in which it is collected. Q. Why does water melt sugar? A. Because very minute particles of Q. Why does water melt salt? A. Because very minute particles of water insinuate themselves into the pores of the salt, and force the crystals apart from each other. Q. Why does melted sugar or salt give a flavour to the water? A. Because the sugar or salt (being disunited into very minute pieces) floats about the water, and mixes with every part. Q. Why does hot water melt sugar and salt quicker than cold water? A. 1st—Because the heat of the water entering the pores of the sugar or salt, opens a passage for the water: and 2ndly—The particles of hot water being smaller than those of cold, can more readily penetrate the pores of salt or sugar. Q. Why is sea-water salt? A. 1st—Because it contains mines of salt at the bottom of its bed: 2ndly—It is impregnated with bituminous matter, which is brackish: and 3rdly—It contains many putrid substances, which increase its brackishness. Q. Why is not rain-water salt, although most of it is evaporated from the sea? A. Because salt will not evaporate; and, therefore, when sea-water is turned to vapour, its salt is left behind. Q. Why does stagnant water putrefy? A. Because leaves, plants, insects, &c. are decomposed in it. Q. Why is stagnant water full of worms, eels, &c.? A. Because numberless insects lay their eggs in the leaves and plants which float on the surface; these eggs are soon hatched, and produce swarms of worms, eels, and insects. Q. Why are flowing waters free from these impurities? A. 1st—Because the motion of running water prevents its fermentation: 2ndly—It dissolves the putrid substances which happen to fall into it: and 3rdly—It casts on the bank (by its Q. Why does running water oscillate and whirl in its current? A. 1st—Because it impinges against its banks, and is perpetually diverted from its forward motion: and 2ndly—Because the centre of a river flows faster than its sides. Q. Why do the sides of a river flow more tardily than its centre? A. Because they rub against the banks, and are delayed in their current thereby. Q. Why does soapy water bubble? A. Because the soap makes the water tenacious, and prevents the bubbles from bursting as soon as they are formed. Q. Why will not water bubble without soap? A. Because it is not tenacious enough to hold together the bubbles that are formed. Q. When soap bubbles are blown from a pipe, why do they ascend? A. Because they are filled with warm breath, which is lighter than air. |
|
