The Machinery of the Universe: Mechanical Conceptions of Physical PhenomenaDolbear, A. E. (Amos Emerson)
Science
The Machinery of the Universe: Mechanical Conceptions of Physical Phenomena
Dolbear, A. E. (Amos Emerson)
Force and energy
When heat has been transformed into ether waves, it is no longer heat,
call it by what name one will. Formerly, such waves were called
heat-waves; no one, properly informed, does so now. In like manner, if
electrical motions or conditions in matter be transformed, no matter
how, it is no longer proper to speak of such transformed motions or
conditions as electricity. Thus, if electrical energy be transformed
into heat, no one thinks of speaking of the latter as electrical. If the
electrical energy be transformed into mechanical of any sort, no one
thinks of calling the latter electrical because of its antecedent. If
electrical motions be transformed into ether actions of any kind, why
should we continue to speak of the transformed motions or energy as
being electrical? Electricity may be the antecedent, in the same sense
as the mechanical motion of a bullet may be the antecedent of the heat
developed when the latter strikes the target; and if it be granted that
a vacuum is a perfect non-conductor of electricity, then it is
manifestly improper to speak of any phenomenon in the ether as an
electrical phenomenon. It is from the failure to make this distinction
that most of the trouble has come in thinking on this subject. Some have
given all their attention to what goes on in matter, and have called
that electricity; others have given their attention to what goes on in
the ether, and have called that electricity, and some have considered
both as being the same thing, and have been confounded.
Let us consider what is the relation between an electrified body and the
ether about it.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account