At the end of that time a fine white solid had collected on the bottom of the vessel.

Lavoisier removed the cement from the stopper, and weighed the apparatus; the weight was the same as it had been before the heating began.

He removed the stopper; air rushed in, with a hissing noise.

Lavoisier concluded that air had not penetrated through the apparatus during the process of heating.

He then poured out the water, and the solid which had formed in the vessel, set them aside, dried, and weighed the pelican; it had lost 17-4/10 grains.