ses are condensed into a liquid.

EMILY.

Water, then, I suppose, when it evaporates and incorporates with the
atmosphere, is decomposed and converted into hydrogen and oxygen gases?

MRS. B.

No, my dear--there you are quite mistaken: the decomposition of water is
totally different from its evaporation; for in the latter case (as you
should recollect) water is only in a state of very minute division; and
is merely suspended in the atmosphere, without any chemical combination,
and without any separation of its constituent parts. As long as these
remain combined, they form WATER, whether in a state of liquidity, or in
that of an elastic fluid, as vapour, or under the solid form of ice.

In our experiments on latent heat, you may recollect that we caused
water successively to pass through these three forms, merely by an
increase or diminution of caloric, without employing any power of
attraction, or effecting any decomposition.

CAROLINE.

But are there no means of decomposing water?

MRS. B.

Yes, several: charcoal, and metals, when heated red hot, will attract
the oxygen from water, in the same manner as they will from the
atmosphere.

CAROLINE.

Hydrogen, I see, is like nitrogen, a poor dependant friend of oxygen,
which is continually forsaken for greater favourites.

MRS. B.

The connection, or friendship, as you choose to call it, is much more
intimate between oxygen and hydrogen, in the state of water, than
between oxygen and nitrogen, in the atmosphere; for, in the first case,
there is a chemical union and condensation of the two substances; in the
latter, they are simply mixed together in their gaseous state. You will
find, however, that, in some cases, nitrogen is quite as intimately
connected with oxygen, as hydrogen is. --But this is foreign to our
present subject.

EMILY.

Water, then, is an oxyd, though the atmospherical air is not?

MRS. B.

It is not commonly called an oxyd, though, according to our definition,
it may, no doubt, be referred to that class of bodies.

CAROLINE.

I should like extremely to see water decomposed.

MRS. B.

I can gratify your curiosity by a much more easy process than the
oxydation of charcoal or metals: the decomposition of water by these
latter means takes up a great deal of time, and is attended with much
trouble; for it is necessary that the charcoal or metal should be made
red hot in a furnace, that the water should pass over them in a state of