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The reason whyRobert Kemp Philp

The reason why

by OpenStories

Original author: Robert Kemp Philp

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"The Reason Why" by Robert Kemp Philp is a collection of scientific knowledge aimed at the general public, written in the mid-19th century. This informative work seeks to provide explanations for numerous phenomena that, while widely accepted, are often poorly understood. The text encapsulates a wide range of topics from natural philosophy, air quality, chemical reactions, and the fundamentals of health, encouraging readers to inquire about the world around them. The beginning of the book introduces the importance of knowledge in understanding nature and enhancing human power over one's surroundings. Philp emphasizes that seeking knowledge enriches our lives and helps us comprehend vital truths about existence, such as the necessity of breathing oxygen for life and how our bodies function. The initial chapters outline how this knowledge empowers individuals, citing examples from various scientific fields, including medicine, mechanics, and electricity, to illustrate the practical applications and benefits that arise from understanding and applying scientific principles.

The reason why, by Robert Kemp Philp. Republished by OpenStories from Project Gutenberg eBook #47748.

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  • 69chapters
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69 Chapters

  1. 1.Preface (1)7,990 words
  2. 2.Preface (2)3,833 words
  3. 3.Chapter I: 1. Why should we seek knowledge?495 words
  4. 4.Chapter II: 4. Why do we breathe air?932 words
  5. 5.Chapter III: 25. What is oxygen?1,130 words
  6. 6.Chapter IV: 49. What is hydrogen?1,351 words
  7. 7.Chapter V: 71. What is heat?1,138 words
  8. 8.Chapter VI: 93. How many kinds of combustion are there?902 words
  9. 9.Chapter VII1,163 words
  10. 10.Chapter VIII: 146. Which are the better conductors of heat, fluids or solids?1,500 words
  11. 11.Chapter IX: 181. What is Radiation?685 words
  12. 12.Chapter X618 words
  13. 13.Chapter XI1,290 words
  14. 14.Chapter XII1,176 words
  15. 15.Chapter XIII1,330 words
  16. 16.Chapter XIV: 271. What is coal?1,296 words
  17. 17.Chapter XV: 294. Why does paper ignite more readily than wood?1,611 words
  18. 18.Chapter XVI: 321. Why does friction produce heat?1,692 words
  19. 19.Chapter XVII1,740 words
  20. 20.Chapter XVIII: 373. What are clouds?1,220 words
  21. 21.Chapter XIX: 396. Why are cloudy days colder than sunny days?1,205 words
  22. 22.Chapter XX: 416. What is rain?1,388 words
  23. 23.Chapter XXI: 440. What is snow?862 words
  24. 24.Chapter XXII: 451. What is light?1,410 words
  25. 25.Chapter XXIII: 472. What is the refraction of light?1,513 words
  26. 26.Chapter XXIV1,195 words
  27. 27.Chapter XXV1,233 words
  28. 28.Chapter XXVI: 540. What is the difference between light and heat?2,091 words
  29. 29.Chapter XXVII: 561. What is electricity?1,134 words
  30. 30.Chapter XXVIII: 586. Why does lightning sometimes travel through a "zigzag" course?1,484 words
  31. 31.Chapter XXIX: 614. What is thunder?2,142 words
  32. 32.Chapter XXX: 638. What is the atmosphere?1,736 words
  33. 33.Chapter XXXI: 666. What is wind?1,754 words
  34. 34.Chapter XXXII: 691. What is a barometer?1,210 words
  35. 35.Chapter XXXIII: 709. What is the thermometer?531 words
  1. 36.Chapter XXXIV: 716. What is sound?1,687 words
  2. 37.Chapter XXXV: 748. What is water?1,204 words
  3. 38.Chapter XXXVI: 772. What is attraction?1,014 words
  4. 39.Chapter XXXVII3,259 words
  5. 40.Chapter XXXVIII: 810. Why does a humming-top make a humming noise?1,346 words
  6. 41.Chapter XXXIX: 825. Why are soap-bubbles round?3,178 words
  7. 42.Chapter XLI: 869. Why do we eat food?1,427 words
  8. 43.Chapter XLII1,317 words
  9. 44.Chapter XLIII1,529 words
  10. 45.Chapter XLIV: 902. Why when we cut our flesh does it heal?1,316 words
  11. 46.Chapter XLV: 923. How many bones are there in the human body?998 words
  12. 47.Chapter XLVI: 937. What are ligaments?1,213 words
  13. 48.Chapter XLVII: 951. What are nerves?1,344 words
  14. 49.Chapter XLVIII: 963. Why do we see objects?1,559 words
  15. 50.Chapter XLIX: 983. Why do we hear?1,113 words
  16. 51.Chapter L: 996. Why do we taste?995 words
  17. 52.Chapter LI: 1009. Why do we perspire?8,798 words
  18. 53.Chapter LII: 1029. Why are there so many bodily forms in the animal creation?1,198 words
  19. 54.Chapter LIII: 1052. Why have birds with long legs short tails?1,190 words
  20. 55.Chapter LIV: 1074. Why has the mole hard and flat feet, armed with sharp nails?2,264 words
  21. 56.Chapter LV: 1091. Why do quadrupeds that are vegetable eaters feed so continually?1,043 words
  22. 57.Chapter LVI1,080 words
  23. 58.Chapter LVII: 1125. Why can gossamer spiders float through the air?991 words
  24. 59.Chapter LVIII1,333 words
  25. 60.Chapter LIX1,218 words
  26. 61.Chapter LX: 1167. Why do some plants droop, and turn to the earth after sunset?2,565 words
  27. 62.Chapter LXI: 1189. Why are vegetable productions so widely diffused?3,359 words
  28. 63.Chapter LXII: 1204. What are vegetable oils and fats?5,217 words
  29. 64.Chapter LXIII: 1254. What are vegetable gums?1,325 words
  30. 65.Chapter LXIV1,167 words
  31. 66.Chapter LXV: 1286. Why are the seeds of plants indigestible?1,462 words
  32. 67.Chapter LXVI1,251 words
  33. 68.Chapter LXVII: 1306. Whence does the snail obtain its shell? (1)8,804 words
  34. 69.Chapter LXVII: 1306. Whence does the snail obtain its shell? (2)3,043 words