The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1911-03-03
ELECTRICITY.
why II 10 Difficult For the lsym.r 4.
Understand What n IA.

Understand What II 10.
What is'elcctricity ?" is a favor
lie query with people who desire 70
get rise out of scientific man
And when he fails to answer II in
the same simple fashion that be
might treat the question "What is
biscuit" the questioner,cries ont
Aha. You profess 20 know all
about electricity. Why, YOU can't
even tell what it is.'
Now, 20 tell what a thing is
that IS TO define its to state its
relations with something more ia 4
miliar. The particular familiar
thing that the questioner is think /
ing OF IN this case is ordinary mat 7,
ter Heat has been explained 10
HIM as a vibration Of material mar.
ticles. Light, he Aas been told il
wave motion in the ether. and he !
understands the ether to he kind {
OF matter or substance resem-
ping matter in some particulars.
IL Is not to be denied that no r
such simple general relationship 5
can be stated between electricity Y
and matter. But, this being So !, "
would be just as correct to saw that
we 90 not know what matter is "a
that we do not know what electrici-
~ Is. As a matter OF fact. we do :
not know what matter is. and tho
attest plausible theory of il builds
I up on an electric basis. so that on
ms theory the idea of electricity il
more fundamental than that OF fe
natter Unfortunately our senses
ave been evolved by contact with re
natter and are trained to detect
My matter. Electricity thew know
My secondarily, through its action
pom matter-the light or heat that re
causes matter TO give out, the at
'actlon that it causes certain sinh Up,
'ances to exert, and so on. To the
IAN n the street, therefore. matter In,
familiar. and he demands a state ri
ient of the latter in terms of the IF
'rmer, illogical though this NAV us'
:. After the scientist has stated en-
| this the reply comes back. eyes, kic
understand all that, and it il cas-
ost clear, | am sure. but tell me gre
en-, what ia electricity ANYWAY ~ | h
Another source Of confusion 70 rea
e lay mind is that scientific men VII
not always use the word "elec- CIV
city to mean the same THING
he engineer often EMPLOYS il 70 Z
press the thing that the theoret- was
i electrician calls Electric ener-
!" stat
To find the energy of electricity ney
that is, its ability n do worL edy
electrician multiplies the guam. +
OF electricity by the potential 20 {
tension under which it exists. falo
I to the engineer this product Uni
Elf measures the thing that he II
IS electricity" and
The work that a pound of water
y do by falling foot is one foot -
ma. Inc water is the same after =
ing as before, though its energy
less. So to the electrician a JOB
nifty Of electricity at 100 volts This,
'reclse Y the same as at one volt ooiia
ugh the former is able to do a where
ldred times as much work. wrs
ms difference in meaning causes NE
usands Of disputes among stu. i busss
is. Electricity is a form Of 91s, 5
rgy," SAYS one, Gust like light 90
heat" ooh, now is the reply. sheIfISs
IS not energy at all, though il Wei
possess or convey energy One $40 S
ntant is talking about the cleo
ty Of the physical and the other
1t that of the engineer; hence NJ,
dispute is merely matter OF 49,
lltion, though they do not know 60 80
What wonder that some people .'un
sui content to regard the whole Ausu
ect as a civilized Mumbo jun :,
st Louis Republi.. oaran