Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1891-04-09
SCIENCE AND PROGRESS.
FACTS FOR THOSE OF AN IN.
QUlRlNG MIND.
The Meaning of Volts In Electricity
Progress In Street Light'ng--The
Latest Airshlp--Ban,S Cause.-The
Dynograph Car.


ne RESULTS Oh an examination INTO
the merits OF the latest airship, now
being exhibited in Chicago. are not ~
assuring, After flying round Tor a
few minutes, the machine is gently
hauled down and the loss OF hydrogen
gas made good ii required, from u por.
table generator. II was first said that
this model airship, which is about 30
feet long and ~. feet in diameter was
to carry n passenger, possibly two,
but the lifting power evidently
amounts TO but a few ounces, aud the
balloon is pulled down between finger
and thumb, The propeller makes
about 900 revolutions per minute
and the speed of the experimentation
3 to 81 feet per second, say > TO 81
miles per hour, This seems slow in
deed when 1t Is remembered that the
French war balloon LA France" has
been driven II miles per hour, and
that in 1881 NJ Tssandicr showed at
WV 'N'Ai"dl NlN'SlllVll ~ NllN "
model electrical balloon III feet long
and n feet IN diameter, which lifted
it's own motive power, and Travelled AZ
the rate OF ~ to q miles per hour,
a maximum development oi power
OF i3i foot pounds per minute, The
inventor claims that the airship prop
or will be driven at 200 miles an hour
by n gas engine of loo. horse power
weighing only $50 pounds 70 those
acquainted with modern gas engine
practice, in which the wcightsrun from
300 to 900 pounds horsepower. and
who understand the fixed limits OF
possible pressure, which are less than
with the steam engine, this statement
Of the inventor is very much open to
question. Even II il We're true, the
resulting speed would not he over ~
~ miles per hour, rs may be readily
determined The shape Of the ma.
chine, too, is very much against it.
The balloon chamber Is circular
spindle, the largest diameter being at
its middle with the front aud back
halves substantially similar, But II
is now well established M an axiom
of mronautics that TO obtain he mimi
mum OF resistance the greatest din
meter must be well forward Of ia cen
tire, the front comparatively blunt
and the rear end much tapercd
Every known kind OF fish or fowl has
this form, and it has long ago been de
termincd that il Is the most hopeful
form on which to base any attempt
to solve the problem Of the lying ma.
chine.
The Meaning OF Volts In ELECTRICITY.
During n recent examination u law
yer put the following question to
Thomas 4, Edison; Explain what is
meant by the number of volts in m
electric current TO which he replied;
IL will have TO use the analogy OF a
waterfall to explain. Say we have II
carrent OF water and turbine wheel
and allow | 900 gallons Der second to
fall from n height OF one loot on the
turbine get certain power, we viii
say one horsepower. Now the on"
foot OF tall will represent one volt of
pressure IN electricity, and the 900
gallons will represent The an,perc or
| the amount OF current, We will cnll
that one amperc. Thus We have
900 gallons OF water or one ampcrc
| falling one foot or one volt oiprcssurc
aud the water working the tur-
bne gives one horsepower. H.
now, we go ZOO feet high, and
| take one gallon OF water and let
| il fall on the turbine wheel We will get
the same power as we had before
| namely, one horsepower We have
got 900 times less current or less
water, and we will have one thou-
| anndth OF an ampere in place oi one
| ampcrc, and we have 900 volts IN
place ol one volt, and We will have II
| fall OF water 900 feet, against one
loot. Now the fall OF water or he
height from which it falls is the pres.
sure or volts in electricity, and the
| amount OF water is the ampercs. 1t
| will be seen that 900 gallons min
ute falling on n man from II height OF
! only one foot would he no danger %
the man. and that ii we took one gal
lon and took il up 900 feet and let
| il fall down, it would crush him. 80
it is not the quantity or current o.
water that does the damage, but it Is
the velocity or the pressure that pro
| duces the effect"