from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Baum'e \Bau`m['e]"\, a.
Designating or conforming to either of the scales used by the
French chemist Antoine Baum['e] in the graduation of his
hydrometers; of or relating to Baum['e]'s scales or
hydrometers. There are two Baum['e] hydrometers. One, which
is used with liquids heavier than water, sinks to 0[deg] in
pure water, and to 15[deg] in a 15 per cent salt solution;
the other, for liquids lighter than water, sinks to 0[deg] in
a 10 per cent salt solution and to 10[deg] in pure water. In
both cases the graduation, based on the distance between
these fundamental points, is continued along the stem as far
as desired.
Note: Since all the degrees on a Baum['e] scale are thus
equal in length, while those on a specific-gravity
scale grow smaller as the density increases, there is
no simple relation between degrees Baum['e] and
specific gravity. However, readings on Baum['e]s scale
may be approximately reduced to specific gravities by
the following formul[ae] (x in each case being the
reading on Baum['e]'s scale):
(a) for liquids heavier than water, sp. gr. = 144 [div] (144
- x);
(b) for liquids lighter than water, sp. gr. = 144 [div] (134
+ x).
[Webster 1913 Suppl.]