Polk County news-gazette. (Benton, Tenn.) 190?-191?, 1914-07-30

and that the entire solar system Is moving toward
the constellation Hercules at the rate of IL miles
per second, or 100000 900 miles per year How
ever as scientists have not yet been able to
measure the motion of Hercules, they still do not
know the absolute motion of the earth. In 1880
Professor Nicholson attacked the problem or de-
terminng the motion of the earth with reference
to the ether the all-pervading medium that fills
interstellar space.
All of us have noticed that, when walking
through the rain, although 1t Is actually falling
vertically, it to be falling at an angle the
degree of this apparent detection depending upon
the speed with which we have moved. Looking
out the window of fast-moving train, scientists
have noticed a similar DETECTION in the angle Of
the light coming to the earth from some far dis
tant star AS the medium that carries the light
between heavenly bodies Is the ether, scientists
argue that the DETECTION is due to the relative
motion of the earth through the ether.
Professor Nicholson eventually overcame the
tremendous experimental difficulties in connee-
ton with this problem: but no motion of the
earth with respect to the ether was found. This
result came as profound surprise to the entire
scientific world
In order to solve this problem Professor Mich
elson invented a most marvellous instrument,
which he called the '@nterferometer." This in
strument is so times more powerful than an alb
soutely perfect microscope would be. The micro
scopes power is limited by the length of light
wave; and the smallest distance 1t reveal is
onehalf a wave length or one hundredthou-
sandths of an inch By utilizing the properties OF
light In another manner. the interferometer can
reveal distances equivalent to one -millionth
OF an inch The microscope has been of immense
value both in scientific work and In practical life:
and the invention OF the interfNrometer In
strument so times more powerful. is in itself an
achievement that should win for Professor Mich
elson undying fame.
He used this instrument to aid him In measur.
ing the standard meter. the foundation of the
metric system in terms Of infinite exactitude and
In a manner that will make this unit perpetual.
The original meter length is carefully preserved
at Paris but scientists have long worried over
the possibility of It's destruction In 1893 In
ternatonal commission on weights and measures
asked Professor Nicholson to devise some method
by which the meter length could be accurately
reproduced The meter is theoretically one forty
millionth OF the earths circumference: but this
definition is not accurate enough for scientific
purposes Professor Nicholson announced the
length OF the meter in terms of cadmium light
waves with a maximum error OF one part In two
million. This definition will always enable sci
entists to reproduce the meter accurately, as
long as the earth exists
These are the most striking achievements OF
Americas greatest scientist Any one OF them
is sufficient TO perpetuate mans name In the
annals of science The result OF Professor Michel.
sons experiments with reference to the motion
of the earth has raised questions that II VIII
take science many years to answer satisfactorily;
and his determination of the rigdity OF the earth
has made possible further and more wonderful
progress In the sphere OF celestial mechanics