ms between 16 atoms of oxygen (one molecule), the
phenomenon of combustion is exhibited, and a molecule of water is
formed containing 18 atoms; and if one pound of hydrogen is thus
consumed, the atoms of hydrogen are separated from each other to such
a distance by the interposing atoms of oxygen as to unlock 34,662
units C. of static, and convert it into dynamic caloric. And if we
thus bring a molecule of carbon containing 12 atoms in contact with a
molecule of oxygen of 16 atoms, combustion ensues and a molecule of
carbonic oxide of 28 atoms is formed, and if we then present another
molecule of oxygen, combustion again takes place, and a molecule of
carbonic acid, containing 44 atoms, is produced. Now, in the
combustion of one pound of carbon in this manner, when the carbon is
converted into carbonic oxide (CO), 2,473 units C. of static is
converted into dynamic caloric; and when this CO is converted into
carbonic acid (CO_{2}) 5,607 additional units C. are unlocked. Thus by
the combustion of one pound of carbon to CO_{2}, 8,080 units C. of
static caloric are changed to dynamic caloric.

When caloric is thus unlocked from its occlusion it escapes with great
velocity until an equilibrium is attained, and in doing so it pushes
the particles of matter out of its path. In solid bodies this produces
such a high degree of molecular movement as to exhibit the phenomena
of incandescence and luminosity, and in liquids increased mobility,
while in gases the molecular activity may be so great as to produce
the phenomena of sound and light; and the more rapidly combustion
takes place the greater will be the volume and velocity of dynamic
caloric escaping therefrom; consequently with a slow combustion, the
phenomena produced by dynamic caloric will be different from those
exhibited at a high degree.

Combustion, as I have before shown, is merely the oxidation of the
material; nothing is _consumed_ nor annihilated, and, the phenomena
vary with the velocity of oxidation. Now, if we take one pound of zinc
and place it in the acid cell of an electric battery, the oxygen of
the acid attacks the zinc and oxide of zinc is formed. In this
operation the Zn molecule containing 65 atoms is united with one
molecule of oxygen of 16 atoms, forming a molecule of oxide of zinc
(ZnO) of 81 atoms; and owing to the comparatively small number of
oxygen atoms interposed between the 65 atoms of zinc, only 1,301 units
C. of static caloric are unlocked