CHAPTER XIV THE VALENCY AND SPECIFIC HEAT OF THE METALS. MAGNESIUM. CALCIUM, STRONTIUM, BARIUM, AND BERYLLIUM

employed largely in building for making mortars or cements, in which case its binding property is mainly due to the absorption of carbonic anhydride. Lime, like other alkalis, acts on many animal and vegetable substances, and for this reason has many practical uses—for example, for removing fats, and in agriculture for accelerating the decomposition of organic substances in the so-called composts or accumulations of vegetable and animal remains used for fertilising land. Calcium hydroxide easily loses its water at a moderate heat (530°), but it does not part with water at 100°. When mixed with water, lime forms a pasty mass known as slaked lime and in a more dilute form as milk of lime , because when shaken up in water it remains suspended in it for a long time and presents the appearance of a milky liquid. But, besides this, lime is directly soluble in water, not to any considerable extent, but still in such a quantity that lime water is precipitated by carbonic