ART. 168 - Measurements of the Amount of Oil Necessary in Order to Check the Motions of Camphor upon Water

Summary

The motion upon the surface of water of small camphor scrapings, a phenomenon which had puzzled several generations of inquirers, was satisfactorily explained by Van der Mensbrugghe as due to the diminished surface-tension of water impregnated with that body. In order that the rotations may be lively, it is imperative, as was well shown by Mr Tomlinson, that the utmost cleanliness be observed. It is a good plan to submit the internal surface of the vessel to a preliminary treatment with strong sulphuric acid. A touch of the finger is usually sufficient to arrest the movements by communicating to the surface of the water a film of grease. When the surface-tension is thus lowered, the differences due to varying degrees of dissolved camphor are no longer sufficient to produce the effect.

It is evident at once that the quantity of grease required is excessively small, so small that under the ordinary conditions of experiment it would seem likely to elude our methods of measurement. In view, however, of the great interest which attaches to the determination of molecular magnitudes, the matter seemed well worthy of investigation; and I have found that by sufficiently increasing the water surface the quantities of grease required may be brought easily within the scope of a sensitive balance.

In the present experiments the only grease tried is olive oil. It is desirable that the material which is to be spread out into so thin a film should be insoluble, involatile, and not readily oxidised, requirements which greatly limit the choice.