PRINCIPLE OF COMBUSTION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LV, Issue 16969, 1 October 1918, Page 3

PRINCIPLE OF COMBUSTION.

IICTUBE BY PROFESSOR WORLEY.' The second of two lectures on the theory: and principles of combustion was delivered* ',■ by Professor E. P. .Worley last evening,,; in St. Andrew's Hall, before members of- ' the Aucldand Institute. The 'lecturer';' said that the development of 'the cto:aii theory about 100 years ago by •John 'Dal* ton, led to the modern theory of oxygen, at the basis of combustion being more:, firmly established. It was discovered that; atoms of different substances and gases_ variedljPwelght"and' it waa thus : 'made jicssible to ascertain more clearly what chemical changes and combinations occur?- — red when combustion took place. The fact that combustion occurred in some substances at a very low temperature was shown in several experiments. The lecturer explained that any substance if raised to a sufficiently high' temperature '. in ordinary atr would burn. Phosphorus I would smoulder in. the atmosphere and ; slow combustion was continually going on, I hi such substances as flax, wool, and coal. | When these were confined, and the heat | onerated by this slow combustion was not '» issipated, the genera)., temperature wis I slowly raised- untu ignition occurred. TVs ; 'was the explanation of spontaneous oca;- [■ bustion of flax, wool, and coal cargo;,. > tb» lecturer explained the theory of -r- j ril'jsivea and'explosions. He stated tiat* combustible gases or substances comb.ued \ in right proportions with oxygen, the irap-v . porter of combustion, gave rise ex-f plosions, and he demonstrated the principle in several very effective experiments. 'In explaining how the explosive did its work and what, process of combustion took place, the lecturer showed that nitroglycerine, and other powerful explosives anonas T.N.T., produced large-.Quantities of pas with extraordinary rapidity, and in some of the most powerful of these explosive substances it was not necessary to confine them In a small space to produce & . shattering effect. In conclusion, Professor / Worley dealt with recent researches into combustion which showed that its -princi- • pj.ea.were very, closely''rolatepV-to, electrical phenomena. < During bisCleciureH.Profesßor v Worley carried':but" r'larsh' number of extremely inkral&g--' experiments.