The Mercurial Wand
Take a piece of stick, cut it even at each end with a penknife, and
immerse it in a vessel of mercury. When the air is pumped out of the
receiver, it will at the same time come out of the pores of the wood,
through the mercury, as will be visible at each end of the stick. When
the air is again let into the receiver, it falls on the surface of the
mercury, and forces it into the pores of the wood, to possess the
place of the air.
When the rod is taken out, it will be found considerably heavier than
before, and that it has changed its colour, being now all over of a
bluish hue. If cut transversely, the quicksilver will be seen to
glitter in every part of it.
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The Magic BellPrevious:
Vegetable Air-bubbles
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