Formation de l'atmosphère terrestre selon Lavoisier

This passage is adapted from Antoine Lavoisier’s Traité Élémentaire de Chimie (or, Elements of Chemistry), first published in 1789 and translated from the original French in 1790. This throws great light upon the original formation of the atmosphere of the planets, and particularly that of our earth. We readily conceive that it must consist of a mixture of the following substances: 1. All [61] body’s that are susceptible of evaporation, or, more strictly, are capable of retaining the gaseous state under a pressure equal to twenty-eight inches of mercury in the barometer;1 and 2. All substances (whether liquid or solid) which are capable of [62] dissolving by this mixture of different gasses.

The better to determine our ideas relating to this subject, let us conceive what change would take place in the various substances which compose our earth, if its temperature were suddenly altered. If, for instance, we were suddenly transported into the region of the planet Mercury, where the common temperature is far higher than that of boiling water, the water of the earth, and all the other liquids which are apt to become gaseous at a temperature near to that of boiling water, would become gasses, which would become part of the new atmosphere. These new species of airs or gasses would mix with those already [63] exciting, and certain new combinations would take place, until such time as all the attractions or affinities subsisting amongst all these new and old gaseous substances had operated fully. After that, these gasses would remain at rest.

However, even in the above hypothetical situation, certain bounds would occur to the evaporation of these substances, produced by that very evaporation. For the pressure of the atmosphere would be augmented, and as even the most evaporable fluids can resist evaporating if prevented by a proportionally stronger compression, we must admit that the new atmosphere would at last arrive at such a weight, that the water which had not hitherto evaporated [64] would cease to boil, remaining liquid; so that the increasing gravity of the atmosphere would find certain limits which it could not exceed. ([65] We might extend these reflections farther, and examine what change might be produced in such situations upon stones, salts, and the substances which compose the mass of the earth. These would be softened, fused, and changed into fluids, [66] per se.)

Conversely, if the earth were suddenly transported into a very cold region, the water which at present composes our [67] seas, rivers and springs, and probably the greater number of the fluids we are acquainted with, would be converted into solids—at first translucent and homogeneous, like rock crystal, but in time, becoming mixed with foreign substances, like opaque stones of various colors. In this case, the air (or at least some part of our atmosphere) would doubtless lose its elasticity for want of a sufficient temperature. [68] They would go back to being liquids, and become new liquids that would be totally unpredictable.

These two opposite suppositions give a distinct proof of the following corollaries:

1. That solidity, liquidity, and gaseousness are only three different states of existence of the same matter, or three particular modifications which almost all substances are capable of assuming successively, and which solely depend upon the degree of [69] light to which they are exposed.
2. That it is extremely probable that our atmosphere is a compound of all the fluids which are susceptible of the vaporous or gaseous state, in the usual temperature and under the common pressure.
3. That we may discover, [70] upon our atmosphere, certain substances naturally very compact, even metals; for instance, a metallic substance only a little more volatile than mercury might exist in that situation.

1 Approx. 0.94 atmospheres.

This passage has been excerpted and adapted from the original, including minor punctuation changes, spelling changes, and other modifications that have not substantially changed content or intent. body’s Not Answered A) NO CHANGE B) bodys’ C) bodies’ D) bodies dissolving Not Answered A) NO CHANGE B) being dissolved C) having dissolved D) having been dissolved exciting Not Answered A) NO CHANGE B) exhuming C) expiring D) existing would cease to boil, remaining liquid Not Answered A) NO CHANGE B) would cease to boil, to remain liquid C) would cease to boil, and would remain liquid D) would cease to boil and to remain liquid Which of the following choices represents the clearest and most concise way to convey all of the information in the sentence?

We might extend these reflections farther, and examine what change might be produced in such situations upon stones, salts, and the substances which compose the mass of the earth. Not Answered A) NO CHANGE B) We might examine what change might be produced upon stones. C) We might extend these reflections farther, and examine the mass of the earth. D) We might extend these reflections farther, and examine what change might be produced in such situations upon stones, salts, and substances. per se Not Answered A) NO CHANGE B) ad hoc C) de facto D) et cetera seas, rivers and springs Not Answered A) NO CHANGE B) seas, rivers, and springs C) seas, rivers, and, springs D) seas, and rivers, and springs Which of the following choices best matches the tone of the passage?

They would go back to being liquids, and become new liquids that would be totally unpredictable. Not Answered A) NO CHANGE B) They would turn back into liquids, and make new ones that we would have absolutely no idea about. C) They would become liquids again, and form some kind of new, unknown liquids. D) They would return to the liquid state of existence, and new liquids would be formed, of whose properties we cannot form the most distant idea. light Not Answered A) NO CHANGE B) oxygen C) temperature D) radiation upon Not Answered A) NO CHANGE B) on C) in D) with

Here are the recommended answers for each question based on clarity, conciseness, and tone:

1. body’s

   • D) bodies (This is the correct plural form of "body.")

2. dissolving

   • A) NO CHANGE (The original word "dissolving" fits the context best.)

3. exciting

   • D) existing (This word fits better in the context of describing gases that are present.)

4. would cease to boil, remaining liquid

   • C) would cease to boil, and would remain liquid (This option clarifies the relationship between the two clauses.)

5. Which of the following choices represents the clearest and most concise way to convey all of the information in the sentence?

   • D) We might extend these reflections farther, and examine what change might be produced in such situations upon stones, salts, and substances. (This option retains all the original information while being slightly more concise.)

6. per se

   • A) NO CHANGE (The term "per se" is appropriate in this context.)

7. seas, rivers and springs

   • B) seas, rivers, and springs (The addition of the Oxford comma improves clarity.)

8. Which of the following choices best matches the tone of the passage?

   • D) They would return to the liquid state of existence, and new liquids would be formed, of whose properties we cannot form the most distant idea. (This option maintains the formal tone of the passage.)

9. light

   • C) temperature (In this context, "temperature" is more appropriate as it relates to the states of matter.)

10. upon

    • A) NO CHANGE (The word "upon" is suitable in this context.)

These answers should help maintain the clarity and tone of the original passage while ensuring grammatical correctness.