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divisions from one point of view and an infinite number from another. If we regard matter in the form of 92 elements of the modern chemist, the attributes also assume a finite number, otherwise it is impossible to prepare a full catalogue of variations.
The third pair of attributes is sita-usna From a practical point of view when we speak of a body as feeling hot or cold we refer to its temperature. The range of temperatures existing in Nature is again very wide, and what little has come under the measuring rod of a physicist has revealed very striking contrasts. The temperature of ice physicists call zero and the temperature of boiling-water 100 degrees (Centigrade). The temperatures of bodies colder than ice are called minus temperatures and mathematical calculations show that the lowest possible temperature in Nature cannot be less than minus 273 degrees. Mercury hardens into a solid mass at minus 40 degrees. Just as the steam is converted into liquid water on cooling, so is air by artificial cooling converted into liquid air at minus 190 degrees. Helium gas is converted into liquid or solid helium at minus 269 degrees. Some other interesting tempe
ratures are :
Gold melts at Platinum melts at
Tungsten melts at
1,062 degrees.
1,770
3,400
1,300
3,500
5,500
two crores
""
""
276. See The Internal Constitution of the Stars, by Eddington.
Temperature of burning charcoals Temperature of electric carbon arc Surface temperature of the sun Central temperature of the sun Highest temperature estimated in stars by Eddington four crores of degrees. 276
35
121
23
95
If we probe into our own atmosphere we find that the temperature gradually falls as one goes higher up until at about a height of 11 miles just over the equator temperature has a value minus 55 degree-a temperature well suited to petrify even mercury. Further on upto a height of 23 miles the temperature remains steady, beyond which it increases to that of spring season, i.e., about 30°C. This is enough to show that temperature of things is measurable from one point of view and the infinite shades of it, it is impossible to enumerate. The extremes of temperatures existing in the
