The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1889-03-02
CENTER OF GRAVITY.
A. Ipstructive Article on an interesting
Scientific subject.

An Instructive Article on an Interesting
scientific Subject.
The center OF gravity Is that point
about which all parts OF BODY wiz
balance each other. no matter In what
position the body may be placed II the
body be symmetrical with regard 70
every axis, that Is II every right hand
part has q left hand part exactly cor
responding to II, aud every upper part
lower and every front part q corre-
spending back, then the center OF
gravity will be at the center of ouik'
H. too, the body be of tho same spe-
cific gravity all the way through.
The existence OF such center was
discovered by Archimedes. The fact
that the center OF gravity OF the earth
| is practically its center OF bulk, makes
ali plumb lines point to about that
center: aud all OF them practically 70
the same point This being the case
we bear In mind that no two plumb
lines are or can be parallel; and that
II there be very long and very high
building, and both Of its two end walls
are "plumb," that building will be
longer nj the top than II Is at the bot
tom. Take for instance the Main Con-
tennial building In Philadelphia whict
building was about 1900 feet long.
Suppose a case very far from the fact,
that II had been 800 feet high, (Which
Ia not so high by So feet as the Wash
ington monument) then, upon the sup
position that the earth Is 1900 miles IN
diameter, the top would have been .o'
inches longer than the base.
This can be figured up In this way
A diameter Of =, ,9l2 miles gives radiu'
of 1886 miles, equals 20. .ss1, $50 feet
The top would be in length ssnsss
times the base; and with base Of l.so'
feet that would make ,usa nsssa :
O.52 inch, nearly. 1t Is not very mucl
10 be sure. Yet II Is there for all thai
Almost every one has heard the stor'
, Of Columbus and the egg; but II is nc
! every one who calls TO mind that ther
! are three ways OF making an egg stan
, upon either end. The way attribute
TO Christopher Colombo. or Cristobs
| Colon. or Christopher Columbus, maj
! iner OF Genoa. was to hatten the eR
3 a trine at one end, so as TO offer rcsis
, anoe TO its tipping That Is not at all
/ neat way. A little gum arabic or otl
o ar cement would accomplish the san
a result The other and more scientii
h way Is to shake the egg violently uni
Il the yelk case 10 broken, when the ye
4 will settle down 10 whichever end "
" wish, and, by its greater weight, lowe
Q ing the center OF gravity OF the COZ
II pound mass, will keep the egg In stae
g equilibrium.
of A very pretty experiment not recor
re ed in ali the text books Is that In Will
to ball apparently rolls up hill BY !
he action Of aravitation. Two long cor
at are placed with their points togeth
a and the bases near together; b
p placed upon them near their tips no
toward their bases. which Is appare
q ly up hill, II viewed from the side; b
liz viewed from the butt ends OF the con
es the ball is seen to be rolling down h
Is. The most difficult forms OF body
nd overthrow are the pyramid and
he cone. the center Of gravity having TO
10 raised so far before the body can
n.y. overthrown.-Cor. Mechanical Ne