Full text: Vol. I (1)

EXPLANATION OF THE EFFECTS 
130 
sequently the form of ice. Thus, the latent heat of the rest of the 
water continues afterwards to be extricated flowly and inperceptibly, 
in proportion as we abstract the fensible heat into which it is changed, 
until the whole of the water is frozen, or has lost the whole of its la 
tent heat. 
But, when the water is cooled in the circumstances of the above 
mentioned experiment, it retains its latent heat and fluidity longer, or 
until its sensible heat be diminished to feven or eight degrees below 
frost; and, when it is in this state, if it be agitated, or suddenly disturb 
ed by the impulse of the air, or the falling into it of a little bit of ice, 
or other such matter, this occasions the extrication of a part of the la 
tent heat, which now becomes sensible heat, and that part of the 
water which thus loses its latent heat is at the fame time changed in 
to ice. But the heat thus extricated at once being in greater quantity 
than what is extricated in any one moment in the common process of 
congelation, it is more conspicuous, by suddenly increasing very re 
markably the sensible heat of the materials, and limiting the quantity 
of the ice that is thus suddenly formed. 
This furprising experiment, therefore, which formerly appeared so 
strange and unaccountable, can thus be explained. When this expe 
riment is made with great care, in a vessel inaccessible to the external 
air, and in a place where it is not disturbed by the tremulous motion 
occasioned by walking on the floor, or the rattling of heavy carriages, 
it is possible to cool the water even 10 degrees below 32°. If the 
water be now touched, ever so gently, with a slender spicula of ice, 
formed by crystallization, or a flake of dry snow, it instantly ſhoots 
into beautiful spiculæe, which rapidly form and branch out in all di 
rections, and the thermometer, which had been left in it, rises flowly 
to the 32d degree. 
But farther, by the fame principles I also explained some other re 
markable facts relating to cold, of which no explanation had before¬
	        
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