Scientific American Supplement, No. 531, March 6, 1886 by Various
page 34 of 142 (23%)
page 34 of 142 (23%)
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when it sweeps through equal angles in equal times. Its actual velocity
varies directly as the radius of the circle in which it is revolving.] Of course there is a reason for these laws. You are not to learn them by rote, or to accept them on any authority. You are taught not to accept any rule or formula on authority, but to demand the reason for it--to give yourselves no rest until you know the why and wherefore, and comprehend these fully. This is education, not cramming the mind with mere facts and rules to be memorized, but drawing out the mental powers into activity, strengthening them by use and exercise, and forming the habit, and at the same time developing the power, of penetrating to the reason of things. In this way only, you will be able to meet the requirement of a great educator, who said: "I do not care to be told what a young man knows, but what he can _do_." I wish here to add my grain to the weight of instruction which you receive, line upon line, precept on precept, on this subject. The reason for these laws of centrifugal force is an extremely simple one. The first law, that this force varies directly as the weight of the body, is of course obvious. We need not refer to this law any further. The second, third, and fourth laws merely express the relative rates at which a revolving body is deflected from the tangential direction of motion, in each of the three cases described, and which cases embrace all possible conditions. These three rates of deflection are exhibited in Fig. 2. An examination of this figure will give you a clear understanding of them. Let us first suppose a body to be revolving about the point, O, as a center, in a |
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