Fragments of Science: A Series of Detached Essays, Addresses, and Reviews. V. 1-2 — John Shaqi
Fragments of Science: A Series of Detached Essays, Addresses, and Reviews. V. 1-2Tyndall, John
Science
Fragments of Science: A Series of Detached Essays, Addresses, and Reviews. V. 1-2
Tyndall, John
Chemistry; Physics; Science
Here, as in the former case, the dark and bright radiations reached
their maximum together; as the one augmented, the other augmented,
until at last the energy of the obscure rays of the particular
refrangibility here chosen, became 122 times what it was at first. To
reach a white heat the wire has to pass through all the stages of
invisible radiation, but in its most brilliant condition it embraces,
in an intensified form, the rays of all those stages.
And thus it is with all other kinds of matter, as far as they have
hitherto been examined. Coke, whether brought to a white heat by the
electric current, or by the oxyhydrogen jet, pours out invisible rays
with augmented energy, as its light is increased. The same is true of
lime, bricks, and other substances. It is true of all metals which
are capable of being heated to incandescence. It also holds good for
phosphorus burning in oxygen. Every gush of dazzling light has
associated with it a gush of invisible radiant heat, which far
transcends the light in energy. This condition of things applies to
all bodies capable of being raised to a white heat, either in the
solid or the molten condition. It would doubtless also apply to the
luminous fogs formed by the condensation of incandescent vapours. In
such cases when the curve representing the radiant energy of the body
is constructed, the obscure radiation towers upwards like a mountain,
the luminous radiation resembling a mere 'spur' at its base. From the
very brightness of the light of some of the fixed stars we may infer
the intensity of that dark radiation, which is the precursor and
inseparable associate of their luminous rays.
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