Unpublished paper, 'On the action of aqueous vapour in disturbing the atmosphere' by Thomas Hopkins

Description

Hopkins maintains that the great disturber of the equilibrium of atmospheric pressure is the aqueous vapour which is diffused through the gases. These gases, when ascending, cool through expansion by diminution of incumbent pressure, whilst the vapour that is within them cools by a smaller degree. A consequence of this is that when a mixed mass ascends, the vapour is condensed by the cold of the gases. Hopkins suggests that it is well known that condensation of vapour gives out much heat, and this heat warms and expands the gases when they are forced to ascend, taking vapour with them; and the process being repeated and continued, an ascending current is produced in the atmosphere, cloud is formed, the barometer sinks, rain falls, and winds blow towards the part.

Marked on front as 'Archives'.

Subject: Meteorology / Chemistry

Received 2 January 1857. Communicated by W [William] Fairbairn.

Whilst the Royal Society declined to publish this paper in full, an abstract of the paper was published in volume 8 of the Proceedings of the Royal Society as 'On the action of aqueous vapour in disturbing the atmosphere'.

Reference number

AP/39/21

Earliest possible date

1857

Physical description

Ink on paper

Page extent

15 pages

Format

Manuscript