A View of Sir Isaac Newton's PhilosophyPemberton, Henry
Science
A View of Sir Isaac Newton's Philosophy
Pemberton, Henry
Newton, Isaac, 1642-1727. Principia
and therefore the power of the earth upon the moon bears the same
proportion to the power it would have upon those bodies at the same
distance, as the quantity of matter in the moon bears to the quantity
in those bodies.
4. THUS the assertion laid down is proved in the earth, that the power
of the earth on every body it attracts is, at the same distance from
the earth, proportional to the quantity of solid matter in the body
acted on. As to the sun, it has been shewn, that the power of the sun’s
action upon the same primary planet is reciprocally in the duplicate
proportion of the distance; and that the power of the sun decreases
throughout in the same proportion, the motion of comets traversing the
whole planetary region testifies. This proves, that if any planet were
removed from the sun to any other distance whatever, the degree of
its acceleration toward the sun would yet remain reciprocally in the
duplicate proportion of its distance. But it has likewise been shewn,
that the degree of acceleration, which the sun gives to every one of
the planets, is reciprocally in the duplicate proportion of their
respective distances. All which compared together puts it out of doubt,
that the power of the sun upon any planet, removed into the place of
any ether, would give it the same velocity of descent, as it gives that
other; and consequently, that the sun’s action upon different planets
at the same distance would be proportional to the quantity of matter
in each. It has farther been shewn, that the sun attracts the primary
planets, and their respective secondary, when at the same distance, so
as to communicate to both the same degree of velocity; and therefore
the force, wherewith the sun acts on the secondary planet, bears
the same proportion to the force, wherewith at the same distance it
attracts the primary, as the quantity of solid matter in the secondary
planet bears to the quantity of matter in the primary.
5. THIS property therefore is proved of both kinds of planets, in
respect of the sun. Therefore the sun possesses the quality found in
the earth, of acting on bodies with a degree of force proportional to
the quantity of matter in the body, which receives the influence.
6. THAT the power of attraction, with which the other planets are
endued, should differ from that of the earth, can hardly be supposed,
if we consider the similitude between those bodies; and that it does
not in this respect, is farther proved from the satellites of Saturn
and Jupiter, which are attracted by their respective primary according
to the same law, that is, in the same proportion to their distances, as
the primary are attracted by the sun: so that what has been concluded
of the sun in relation to the primary planets, may be justly concluded
of these primary in respect of their secondary, and in consequence
of that, in regard likewise to all other bodies, viz. that they will
attract every body in proportion to the quantity of solid matter it
contains.
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