The English works of Thomas Hobbes of Malmesbury, Volume 01 (of 11)
Thomas Hobbes · en
By this demonstration it is manifest, that circular motion about an
unmoved axis shakes off and puts further from the centre of its motion
such things as touch, but do not stick fast to its superficies; and the
more, by how much the distance is greater from the poles of the circular
motion; and so much the more also, by how much the things, that are
shaken off, are less driven towards the centre by the fluid ambient, for
other causes.
[Sidenote: Such things as are moved with simple circular motion, beget
simple circular motion.]
10. If in a fluid medium a spherical body be moved with simple circular
motion, and in the same medium there float another sphere whose matter
is not fluid, this sphere also shall be moved with simple circular
motion.
Let B C D (in fig. 5) be a circle, whose centre is A, and in whose
circumference there is a sphere so moved, that it describes with simple
motion the perimeter B C D. Let also E F G be another sphere of
consistent matter, whose semidiameter is E H, and centre H; and with the
radius A H let the circle H I be described. I say, the sphere E F G
will, by the motion of the body in B C D, be moved in the circumference
H I with simple motion.
For seeing the motion in B C D (by art. 4 of this chapter) makes all the
points of the fluid medium describe in the same time circular lines
equal to one another, the points E, H and G of the strait line E H G
will in the same time describe with equal radii equal circles. Let E B
be drawn equal and parallel to the strait line A H; and let A B be
connected, which will therefore be equal and parallel to E H; and
therefore also, if upon the centre B and radius B E the arch E K be
drawn equal to the arch H I, and the strait lines A I, B K and I K be
drawn, B K and A I will be equal; and they will also be parallel,
because the two arches E K and H I, that is, the two angles K B E and I
A H are equal; and, consequently, the strait lines A B and K I, which
connect them, will also be equal and parallel. Wherefore K I and E H are
parallel. Seeing, therefore, E and H are carried in the same time to K
and I, the whole strait line I K will be parallel to E H, from whence it
departed. And, therefore, seeing the sphere E F G is supposed to be of
consistent matter, so as all its points keep always the same situation,
it is necessary that every other strait line, taken in the same sphere,
be carried always parallel to the places in which it formerly was.
Wherefore the sphere E F G is moved with simple circular motion; which
was to be demonstrated.
[Sidenote: If that which is so moved have one side hard and the other
side fluid, its motion will not be perfectly circular.]