The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-02-08
LAW OF GRAYITATION.
PROFESSOR ToR0NT0.s LECTURE
AT THE UNIVERSITY LAST NIGHT.
Sir Isaac Newton and His Discover
ies-HoW Worlds Are Madc-Thc
Influence OF the Heavenly Bodies
on Each Other and on the Earth.

Professor j. B. Toronto delivered
the fifth lecture of the University
course last evening at the lecture hall
of the University. His subject was
"GraVitation; universal law; unity
displayed in the solar and stellar SyS-
TENS"
He gave a short sketch of the history
of astronomy and showed how every
step OF development in this branch of
science depended upon the one pre-
ceding. He dWelt to some extent upon
the subject of grayitation. Showed
how the force of gravitation affects
all moving bodies, both those on the
surface of our earth and the heavenly
bodies not at all in connection with
the earth.
The lecturer went somewhat into de-
tail in regard to the observations made
by Newton of bodies moving on the
surface of the earth; these motions
being caused by the two forces, gravi-
tation and the impulsiVe force, and
showed how the great philosopher ac-
counted fer the motion of heavenly
bodies from these observations.
The first experiment Newton made in
| behalf Of this theory was made upon
the motion of the moon, and he proved
to his own satisfaction that the mo-
ton of the moon was due to these two
forces; he then applied the same test
3
found that his theory Of their motion
was substantially correct.
! Until NeWton's time the science of
philosophy was very imperfectly de-
I VelOped, but with what he did by way
! of experiment and the start in this
I line, others, who came aftG' him. OBJ
tanned from his works, this branch of
science has made a wonderful stride
/ forward.
The lecturer showed by example how
the moon is held in its place by the
impulsiVe force and the force of graYi-
tation; how it and all other satellites
of other worlds will continue to move
in the paths they now. occupy untll
the very laws of nature change. He
also explained how the laws of these
TWO forces naturally cause nearly all
heavenly bodies to move in an eliptical
path, and how ali planets exert a
mutual force upon each other.
| Argument was produced which
showed that the force of sravitation
was not confined to this earth, but
that il extends throughout all space
where matter exists. It was showed
by example how bodies upon the SUI
face of the earth have, a mutual at
traction for each other. and how, by
this mutual attraction, the specific
gravity of the earth can be calculated
! 1t is found that the specific gravity of
and three, and that of the earth taken
as whole is about 5.58. which makes
! the gravity of the interior of the earth
| between eight and ten This the
| lecturer showed was in accordance
with the laws of gravitation. because
| when the earth was in molten state
all the heavier material would tend to
! sink toward the centre of attraction
which would necessarily make the in
terror of the earth comparatively
heavier than the crust.
| 1t was shown how, by the laws OF
mutual attraction, the weight of many
! of the heavenly bodies can be cal
culated; how, by the same laws, the
moon and the sun affect the earth
! form of ocean tides; and how, by the
same laws, the moon affects the earth
| and causes larger tides than the sun.
/ being as it is nearer the earth than is
! the sun.
/ 1t was also shown how and why the
| force Of graVitation causes the axis OF
the earth not to remain pointing in
! all phenomena connected with the mo-
! ton of heavenly bodies can be ac-
counted for through the study of gray
/ itation.
The lecturer also advanced argunen;
| in behalf of the theory that all matter
in the universe was once in a gaseous
state and that as it began to assume
the liquid state it began to collect and
was thrown off by centrifugal force
and in this way worlds were formed.
! Although subjects relating to mathe.
mates are usually dry the lecture was
! well attended and seemed to create q
! deep interest in the audience.
The next lecture Of this course will
| be delivered on the evening of Febru-
airy IA, by Professor Whiting. Subject
"Hhe nIant and the animal ,,