The English works of Thomas Hobbes of Malmesbury, Volume 01 (of 11)
Thomas Hobbes · en
11. If in a fluid medium, whose parts are stirred by a body moved with
simple motion, there float another body, which hath its superficies
either wholly hard, or wholly fluid, the parts of this body shall
approach the centre equally on all sides; that is to say, the motion of
the body shall be circular, and concentric with the motion of the
movent. But if it have one side hard, and the other side fluid, then
both those motions shall not have the same centre, nor shall the
floating body be moved in the circumference of a perfect circle.
Let a body be moved in the circumference of the circle K L M N (in fig
2.) whose centre is A. And let there be another body at I, whose
superficies is either all hard or all fluid. Also let the medium, in
which both these bodies are placed, be fluid. I say, the body at I will
be moved in the circle I B about the centre A. For this has been
demonstrated in the last article.
Wherefore let the superficies of the body at I be fluid on one side, and
hard on the other. And first, let the fluid side be towards the centre.
Seeing, therefore, the motion of the medium is such, as that its parts
do continually change their places, (as hath been shown in art 5); if
this change of place be considered in those parts of the medium which
are contiguous to the fluid superficies, it must needs be that the small
parts of that superficies enter into the places of the small parts of
the medium which are contiguous to them; and the like change of place
will be made with the next contiguous parts towards A. And if the fluid
parts of the body at I have any degree at all of tenacity (for there are
degrees of tenacity, as in the air and water) the whole fluid side will
be lifted up a little, but so much the less, as its parts have less
tenacity; whereas the hard part of the superficies, which is contiguous
to the fluid part, has no cause at all of elevation, that is to say, no
endeavour towards A.
Secondly, let the hard superficies of the body at I be towards A. By
reason, therefore, of the said change of place of the parts which are
contiguous to it, the hard superficies must, of necessity, seeing by
supposition there is no empty space, either come nearer to A, or else
its smallest parts must supply the contiguous places of the medium,
which otherwise would be empty. But this cannot be, by reason of the
supposed hardness; and, therefore, the other must needs be, namely, that
the body come nearer to A. Wherefore the body at I has greater endeavour
towards the centre A, when its hard side is next it, than when it is
averted from it. But the body in I, while it is moving in the
circumference of the circle I B, has sometimes one side, sometimes
another, turned towards the centre; and, therefore, it is sometimes
nearer, sometimes further off from the centre A. Wherefore the body at I
is not carried in the circumference of a perfect circle; which was to be
demonstrated.