Endless Amusement: A Collection of Nearly 400 Entertaining Experiments in Various Branches of Science; Including Acoustics, Electricity, Magnetism, Arithmetic, Hydraulics, Mechanics, Chemistry, Hydrostatics, Optics; Wonders of the Air-Pump; All the Popular Tricks and Changes of the Cards, &c., &c. to Which is Added, a Complete System of Pyrotechny; Or, the Art of Making Fire-works.Unknown
Science
Endless Amusement: A Collection of Nearly 400 Entertaining Experiments in Various Branches of Science; Including Acoustics, Electricity, Magnetism, Arithmetic, Hydraulics, Mechanics, Chemistry, Hydrostatics, Optics; Wonders of the Air-Pump; All the Popular Tricks and Changes of the Cards, &c., &c. to Which is Added, a Complete System of Pyrotechny; Or, the Art of Making Fire-works.
If a person look in a concave mirror placed perpendicularly to
another, (that is, supposing one mirror to be laid on the floor, and
the other attached to the ceiling,) his face will appear entirely
deformed. If the mirror be a little inclined, so as to make an angle
of 80 degrees, (that is, one-ninth part from the perpendicular,) he
will then see all the parts of his face, except the nose and forehead.
If it be inclined to 60 degrees; (that is, one-third part,) he will
appear with three noses and six eyes: in short, the apparent deformity
will vary at each degree of inclination, and when the glass comes to
45 degrees, (that is, half-way down,) the face will vanish. If,
instead of placing the two mirrors in this situation, they are so
disposed that their junction may be vertical, then different
inclinations will produce other effects, as the situation of the
object relative is quite different.
_The Magic Tube._
Procure a small tube of glass, whose canal is extremely narrow, and
open at both ends; let one end of it be plunged in water, and the
water within the tube will rise to a considerable height above the
external surface: or if two or more tubes be immersed in the same
fluid, the one with a narrow canal, and the other wider, the water
will ascend higher in the former than the latter.
_The Magician's Mirror._
Construct a box of wood, of a cubical shape, A B C D, Fig. 23, of
about fifteen inches every way. Let it be fixed to the pedestal P, at
the usual height of a man's head. In each side of this box let there
be an opening, of an oval form, ten inches high, and seven wide. In
this box place two mirrors, A D, with their backs against each other.
Let them cross the box in a diagonal line, and in a vertical position.
Decorate the openings in the side of this box with four oval frames
and transparent glasses, and cover each with a curtain so contrived as
all to draw up together.
[Illustration: Fig. 23.]
Place four persons in front of the four sides, and at equal distances
from the box, and then draw them up that they may see themselves in
the mirrors, when each of them, instead of his own figure, will see
that of the person next to him, but who will appear to him to be
placed on the opposite side. Their confusion will be the greater, as
it will be very difficult, if not impossible, for them to discover the
mirrors concealed in the box. The reason of this phenomenon is
evident; for though the rays of light may be turned aside by a mirror,
yet they always _appear_ to proceed in right lines.
_The Perspective Mirror._
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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