The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1902-02-04
ORIGIN OF THE EARTH
SYNOPSIS OF SIR ROBERT S. BALLS
LECTURE ON THE SUBJECT.


what a Meteor IL.
Sir Robert $. Balls third lecture in
the Lowell Institute course was even
more successful than the two preced-
ing it, his audience. contrary TO the
usual custom of course audiences. be-
ing on the increase His subject was
The Origin of the Earth" and he
showed forth two lines OF argument in
support of the nebular theory based
on facts known about our planet
His first reference was to the re-
markable boring for coal near Leipsic.
which. while undertaken for CONNER
clal purposes, was conducted in a truly
scientific manner Whether coal was
found or not the speaker did not re-
member. but he did remember the
scientific outcome, the fact that the
gradient OF the earth's temperature
was established, that it was proved
that below certain point near the
surface, to which the heat of the day
penetrates, there is Il regular increase
IN temperature; and at mile below
the point of constant temperature. the
thermometer would register eighty de-
grees higher than Mt this point.
Experiments have not been conduct
ed much below the first mile. but CON
ditions are subject to determination i'm
4 general way. From the known laws
affecting the diffusion of heat. it is
evident that the lower strata cannot
be colder than the everything ones and
must he warmer, and since the tenn
perature increases quite uniformly
down to the mile it is reasonable to
believe that below the mile it will con
tinue to increase at about the same
rate.
Another fact which may be cOnsid-
cred as established Is that the earth is
gradually dissipating its heat into
space. This heat is moving out from
the centre of the earth toward the
surface, and the amount there lost
film of ice covering the earth's surface
One-tenth of an inch thick.
This small quantity does not seem
of much moment. but it must be re-
,membered that it is an influence al
ways acting in the same direction. and
these influences which act always in
the same direction are the architects
of the universe. The geological forces
act with the greatest energy for per-
haps hundreds of thousands of years,
and then they begin to tear down what
they have built up These forces may
get back near to where they have be-
gun, but the influences that act always
the same way do accomplish wonders
in the millions of years of time through
which they work. If the earth is
losing heat and has been losing it, it
was formerly hotter than it is row.
and continuing this argument back
into the dim age we see it was red
hot, white hot and even molten.
But here the speaker diverged for
awhile TO consider the action Of the
tides. This is n great question. for
some there are who believe the fric-
ton of the tides to have been rcspon-
sible for the eaTth'a heat. The argu-
ment was presented in an interesting
way, the whole lecture being without
notes, and it was shown that the tides
have an influence in slowing up the
earth's motion Of rotation. To-day is
longer than yesterday and yesterday
longer than the day before. There is
not great difference. Il fraction OF
second being the aggregate for n few
centuries, but this is n cause that acts
always in the same direction.
The aggregate of loss in n million
years is about seventeen minutes. and
in 100000 years about an hour, 50
that 100000 of years ago the day was
about twenty-threc hours long. And
as we 80 farther and farther down the
vista of time. we encounter days OF
twenty-five hours Of twenty hours OF
fifteen hours, of ten hours. of eight and
even of six hours. This may have been
from fifty to 3OOOOOOOO of years ago,
but there is evidence that the rotation
Of the earth was ut once four times
as rapid as it is now 1t had then
sixteen tim0s rs much energy as now,
and tlfteen-siXteenths has gone En-.
ergy is never lost, but is transformed
into heat, and in its radiation OF heat
the earth has parted with so much OF
its original energy
Ingenious Investigators. ore building
where the other finished have found
means OF computing the heat equiv
alent Of tidal action and the gradient
would be one degree for every 1000
feet, so that this cause is entirely IN.
adequate 10 account for the eighty
degrees which Is the known gradient.
1t will then be understood that the
gradient OF eighty degrees is cue to
Internal heat. and in the past the earth
was hotter. even beyond the possibility
Of surface, a molten mass Iul back
OF that gases, i'm fact a ncbulo. III eN-
teldcd out far beyond its present linn
its, 30 touched the other great ncbula,
tire sun; it was part of it., the same
chemical elements composing both
The closing portion of the lecture
was devoted To- the Corsidcra lion of
some of the questions which may nat
urally arise is tine centre of the
Garth solid or liquid? n lis % race bee
tween temperature and pressure ,hc
temperature lis hi-h. but the pressure
Also increases Biologists n This and
u other countries are aware that The
pebbles Goo cons om,raje actually flow
under the pressure of the upper dopos
iis. We have boo cur own suburbs cN
gupie- of th..n distorted pebbles
while m Norway village is rooted
with lhe granite pebble. or gu ancient