Miscellaneous Scientific Papers: by W.J. Macquorn Rankine ... from the Transactions and Proceedings of the Royal and Other Scientific and Philosophical Societies, and the Scientific Journals, Volume 1C. Griffin, 1881 - 567 pages |
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Common terms and phrases
angles atomic atmosphere atomic centres axes of elasticity axis B₁ body bounding surface C₁ C₂ calculated Centigrade centres of force clasticity co-ordinates coefficients of elasticity coefficients of rigidity condition constant corresponding crystalline deduced denote density diffraction direction of vibration displacements elementary strains ellipsoid equal equation euthytatic axes evanescent wave experiments Fahrenheit fluid elasticity formula function gases given heat heterotatic hypothesis Inches of Mercury investigation isotropic laws light liquid longitudinal metatatic millimetres molecular vortices mutual actions nuclei oblique octahedron orthotatic P₁ P₂ pair paper parallel particles prism propagation Q₁ Q₂ quantities Rankine Rankine's refraction Regnault respectively rhombic rhombic dodecahedron Rhombohedron round SECTION solid square substance supposition symmetry tasinomic coefficients temperature theory thlipsinomic transverse umbræ umbral vapour variation velocity of propagation velocity of sound volume vortices wave
Popular passages
Page 69 - Each of the three sides is equal to the base multiplied by the cosine of the angle between the normal to the base and the normal to the side in question.
Page xxx - ... afterwards found to be consistent with observed facts. As long as the training of the naturalist enables him to trace the action only of particular material systems without giving him the power of dealing with the general properties of all such systems, he must proceed by the method so often described in histories of science — he must imagine model after model of hypothetical apparatus till he finds one which will do the required work. If this apparatus should afterwards be found capable of...
Page 2 - = 7-831247. Table I. exhibits a comparison between the results of the formula and those of M. Regnault's experiments, for every tenth degree of the centigrade air-thermometer, from 30° below the freezing point to 230° above it, being within one or two degrees of the whole range of the experiments. M. Regnault's values are given, as measured by himself...
Page xxxi - If the absolute temperature of any uniformly hot substance be divided into any number of equal parts, the effects of those parts in causing work to be performed are equal...
Page xxix - ... complicated and arbitrary as the Cartesian system, his final deductions are simple, necessary, and consistent with facts. Certain phenomena were to be explained. Rankine set himself to imagine the mechanism by which they might be produced. Being an accomplished engineer, he succeeded in specifying a particular arrangement of mechanism competent to do the work, and also in predicting other properties of the mechanism which were afterwards found to be consistent with observed facts. As long as...
Page xxv - I'll stick to my three-foot rule. Some talk of millimetres, and some of kilogrammes, And some of decilitres, to measure beer and drams ; But I'ma British workman, too old to go to school ; So by pounds I'll eat, and by quarts I'll drink, and I'll work by my three-foot rule. A party of astronomers went measuring of the earth, And forty million metres they took to be its girth ; Five hundred million inches, though, go through from pole to pole ; So let's stick to inches, feet, and yards, and the good...
Page 157 - The hypothesis now to be proposed as a groundwork for the undulatory theory of light, consists mainly in conceiving that the luminiferous medium is constituted of detached atoms or nuclei distributed throughout all space, and endowed with a peculiar species of polarity, in virtue of which three orthogonal axes in each atom tend to place themselves parallel respectively to the corresponding axes in every other atom ; and that plane-polarized light consists in a small oscillatory movement of each atom...
Page 56 - Let 8 . Q be divided into two parts, of which SQ, being directly employed in varying the velocity of the particles, is the variation of the actual or sensible heat possessed by the body ; while SQ', being employed in varying their orbits, represents the amount of the mutual transformation of heat with expansive power and molecular action, or the variation of what is called the -latent heat ; that is to say, of a molecular condition constituting a source of power, out of which heat may be developed.
Page 138 - ... 0 or, as we should say, all the direct stretch-slide coefficients are zero. These three axes which always exist but may be oblique or rectangular are termed the principal euthytatic axes. [450.] We have next the following classification with regard to forms of euthytatic distribution : (i) If a solid has three oblique principal euthytatic axes making equal angles with each other round an axis of symmetry, and if each of these .axes has equal systems of homotatic coefficients, ie if the biquadratic...
Page xxxi - If the total actual heat of a homogeneous and uniformly hot substance be conceived to be divided into any number of equal parts, the effects of those parts in causing work to be performed are equal.