Physics Self Taught

LITTLE BLUE BOOK NO. Edited by E. Haldeman-Julius QQJ. J -^~ Physics Self Taught Maynard Shipley HALDEMAN-JULIUS COMPANY GIRARD, KANSAS Copyright, 1926, Haldeman-Julius Company NOTE : A Table of Contents for this book on Page 6? is giver PRINTED IN THE. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA INTRODUCTION Until recent times the study of Physics included virtually all the natural sciences, and was therefore synonymous with "Natural Philosophy". With the rapid advancement of science in many fields, especially during the nineteenth century, and the consequent need for specialization on the part of investigators, Chemistry, Astronomy, Biology, and Geology became separate departments of science. To the domain of Physics closely related subjects as was left only such mechanics, heat, electricity, light and sound all of which are phenomena of inanimate matter involving no changes in chemical composition. More recently, owing to still further advances, there has been a marked tendency toward a reunification of the natural sciences, and we speak now of electro-chemistry, physical chemistry, biophysics, biochemistry, and so on. Nevertheless, it is still expedient to limit the study of physics proper to problems of me- — chanics, heat, light, sound and electricity. In view of what has just been said, it is perhaps hardly necessary to point out that the phenomena just enumerated lie at the foundation of all other sciences are the basic phenomena of the cosmos; hence the study of most natural processes presupposes on the part of the student at least an elementary knowledge of physics. Since the subject of electricity, and the problem of the structure of atoms, etc., have already — PHYSICS SELF TAUGHT 4 been treated in other Little Blue Books, 1 the subject-matter of the present volume will be limited to the principles of dynamics, heat, light and sound, with but a brief reference to These topics cannot, of course, be electricity. discussed in all their aspects. Some important physical topics will have to be omitted. It is hoped, however, that the information given will be neither less sound in principle nor less interesting to the reader because of the space limitations imposed. It is hoped also that the thoughtful reader, having learned the principles discussed herein, will not find it difficult to employ them in the solution of many everyday problems of a practical nature. The reader who wishes to go farther into the subject would do well to take up next some such illustrated work as Prof. H. E. Hadley's "Everyday Physics" (1924), or "Practical Physics", by N. Henry Black and Harvey N. Davis (1920), to be followed by, say, "Elements of Physics", by F. W. Merchant and C. A. Chant (1924), the last named being a more advanced treatise, but nevertheless still falling within the definition of "elementary". See also the Physics list in "A Map of the World of Knowledge", by Sidney Morse, Introduction and Booklists by Jesse Lee Bennett (1925). lSee, particularly, Moritzen, "Electric Energy It Does and Promises" (No. 510) Shipley, "The Principles of Electricity" (No. 133) also by Shipley. "A B C of the Electron Theory of Matter" (No. 603) "Electricity and Life" (No. 722) "Origin and Development of the Atomic Theory" (No. 608) "Man's Debt to the Sun" (No. 808). What ; ; ; ; ; PHYSICS SELF TAUGHT CHAPTER I GRAVITATION, INERTIA, FORCE, MOTION problems of nature which greatly of science from the days of the early Greek physicists, and down into quite One of the perplexed men modern times, was the movement of the heavennear ly bodies and the falling of all free bodie