How to Do Mechanical Tricks: Containing Complete Instruction for Performing Over Sixty Ingenious Mechanical TricksAnderson, A., active 1894-1902
Science
How to Do Mechanical Tricks: Containing Complete Instruction for Performing Over Sixty Ingenious Mechanical Tricks
Anderson, A., active 1894-1902
Magic tricks -- Handbooks, manuals, etc.
The one we have indicated will weigh down to a fifty-thousandth part of
a pound.
The Recomposition of Light.
It is a great pity that exquisitely beautiful facts and mysteries are
wrapped up in the crack-jaw terms of foreign languages, and so made to
appear ugly.
There is no branch of knowledge more fascinating than light. To follow
up its study is like walking along a shady lane, where at certain
distances apart the wayfarer lights upon jewels of great brilliance.
It has been said above that white light is formed by the union or
combination of seven colors. When a ray of light passes through a prism
it is split up into the parts of which it is composed, and seven colors
as in the rainbow appear.
These colors shade off into one another with every variety of tint,
like a band of rainbow-colored ribbon. This band is called a spectrum.
Now, where science classes are held there may be seen a complicated
instrument, which is used to show how the seven colors unite to form
white light. It is a disc on which the colors of the spectrum are
painted, and it is made to spin round with great rapidity.
The impression received by the eye, when looking at the revolving disc
is total abstinence of color. In other words it is white light.
Fortunately, you can satisfy yourselves on this point without any other
materials than a cardboard disc and a piece of string. On this disc
paint in small sections the colors of the spectrum, repeating them
four or five times in the following order: red, orange, yellow, green,
blue, indigo, violet.
[Illustration]
That the experiment may be entirely successful, the sections must be
marked off according to the following scale of width of section. Let
orange, next to the circumference represent 2: then
Red will be represented by 5
Orange “ “ “ 2
Yellow “ “ “ 5
Green “ “ “ 4
Blue “ “ “ 5
Indigo “ “ “ 3
Violet “ “ “ 5
Now, in any diameter of the disc bore two holes not too near the edge.
Through them pass a piece of string, and knot the two ends together.
Take hold of the string with both hands, and make the disc spin round.
Then extend and approach the hands alternately to give a very rapid
movement to the disc. When revolving rapidly enough you will not be
able to distinguish the separate colors. They all become blended into
white light.
The Mysterious Apple.
Pierce an apple in such a manner as to obtain two holes tending toward
the middle, and forming a pretty large angle as shown in the figure.
Two quills or tin tubes should be inserted to make the inside passages
smooth. Pass a string through the hole and your apple is prepared for a
little trick, which, you may be sure will astonish all persons before
whom you practice it, and who of course are not yet initiated.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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