Scientific amusements . osition when one endeavoursto overturn them. It has been stated that it is possible, with patience andlightness of hand, to make an egg stand on one end. Toaccomplish this the egg must be placed upon a perfectlyplane surface—a marble chimney-piece, for instance. Theegg must be shaken to mingle the yolk with the white,and then if one succeed in making the egg stand upright,one of the most elementary principles, of physjics is illus-trated thereby; for the centre of gravity is at the pointof contact at the end of the egg, and the plane surface onwhich it rests. We will gi
Scientific amusements . osition when one endeavoursto overturn them. It has been stated that it is possible, with patience andlightness of hand, to make an egg stand on one end. Toaccomplish this the egg must be placed upon a perfectlyplane surface—a marble chimney-piece, for instance. Theegg must be shaken to mingle the yolk with the white,and then if one succeed in making the egg stand upright,one of the most elementary principles, of physjics is illus-trated thereby; for the centre of gravity is at the pointof contact at the end of the egg, and the plane surface onwhich it rests. We will give some illustrations of this. TO BALANCE A PENCIL ON ITS POINT. The arrangement of the pencil and the knife, the bladeof which is buried in the wood, is held in equilibrium atthe point of the finger, becai*se the centre of gravity of THE CENTRE OF GRAVJTY. 29 is situated in the vertical, beneath thepoint of contact (Fig. 21). THE MATCH a match at one end, and insert into the groove /, /tJt. Fig. 21.—A Pencil balanced on its Point another, so that the pair shall form a certain angle. Placethem on a table, angle upwards, tent fashion ; and let athird match rest against them as in Fig. 22. Now all isready for the experiment, Take a fourth match, and 30 EQUILIBRIUM OF BODIES. handing It to one of )-our audience, request him to lift thethree others with it. If the Seeker, the interesting paper from which weborrow this pleasing problem, be correct, the solution ofthe puzzle will test the patience of many an architect or jrr, .-^-M.,^..—-??,?:.- . r ^ ^1 / Iv:. ^^ ^ ? \ * i 1^ i ^ ^ :? j \ k i 1 i k ^^^ S r 1 ^rjri- ^ 1 J&A $ w Fig. 22. —Problem of the Four TVfatclies. builder who is not previously acquainted with the experi-ment. The upper diagram in the illustration explains themode of proceeding. The way the trick is performedis to allow the third match to fall lightly against thematch you hold, and then lower the hand until this third THE
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade189, booksubjectscientificrecreations
