Resistance to motion, or which is the same thing, motion against
resistance, is always accompanied by heat. This developed heat is not
always readily perceptible to our sense of touch. A stone, ball or
other object thrown through the air has its motion gradually arrested
by the air. Heat is developed, but the heat is distributed through
so much air and the object thrown is heated so little that this
development of heat was not known until scientifically discovered.
Where the resistance is friction, the development of heat is quite
perceptible, and has always been well known. Suppose a coin be
rubbed on a cloth or blotter. Heat is developed both in the coin and
the blotter--the more vigorous the rubbing--i. e., the more energy
expended, the greater the heat. Science has determined that the
developed heat is exactly proportional to the expended energy. Every
machinist knows that in turning a tap on a bolt where the threads are
rusty so that it turns only with the application of great force, a
considerable amount of heat is readily developed. The heat developed is
proportional to the energy expended in turning the tap.
A wheel revolving on a spindle will develop heat exactly proportional
to the resistance the spindle offers to the wheel turning upon it.
Thus, we often see smoke and a blaze rising from the spindles of the
car wheels where oil is lacking, and they turn with difficulty.
Every farmer knows that if a buggy wheel turns with difficulty for want
of lubrication, or for any other reason, the spindle will heat, expand
and lock the wheel, so that it will often either grind out the boxing
or slide on the ground. Whereas, if the parts be kept lubricated so
that less energy is required to turn the wheel on the spindle, there
is no perceptible heat developed, but in all cases heat is developed
to some extent, and the heat developed is exactly proportional to the
energy necessary to force the revolution.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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