The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1915-02-20

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tons and departments of activity win be the
consequence.
Natural Forces Influence Us.
Accepting all this as true let us consider some
Of the forces and Influences which act on such
a wonderfully complex automatic engine with
organs inconceivably sensitive and delicate. as
Il Is carried by the spinning terrestrial globe In
its lightning fight through space. For the sake
Of simplicity We may assume that the earth's
axis is perpendicular TO the eoliptic and that
the human automaton Is at the equator. Let
his weight be one hundred and sixty pounds.
then. at the rotational velocity OF about 1920
feet per second with which he is whirled
around. the mechanical energy stored in his
body will he nearly 5~.7SO.OOO foot pounds,
which is about the energy OF n underground
cannon ball.
This momentum is constant as well as the up
ward centrifugal push, amounting TO about
fifty-ive hundredth OF a pound. and both will
probably be without marked influence on his
life functions. The sun. having a mass 3s2. 900
times that OF the earth. but being $4,000 times
farther. will attract the with a force
II about one-tenth Of one pound. alternately
increasing and diminishing his normal weight
by that amount.
Though not conscious OF these periodic
changes. he is surely affected by them.
The earth in its rotation around the sun
carries him with the prodigious speed OF nine
teen miles per second and the mechanical
energy impaired to him is over 25,16O. 900. 900
foot pounds. The largest gun ever made in
Germany hurls a projectile weighing one ton
with a muzzle velocity OF 1900 feet per second.
the energy being 429.O 900 foot pounds.
Hence the momentum OF the automaton's body
IS nearly sixty times greater. IL would be suf-
hcient to develop 2.400 horse owe for one
minute, and II the motion were suddenly ar
rested the body would be instantly exploded
with a force sufficient to carry a projectile
weighing over sixty tons to a distance Of
twenty-eight miles.
This enormous energy Is. however, not con.
slant, but varies with the position Of the autom-
atom in relation TO the sun. The circumfer.
ence OF the earth has a speed OF 1920 feet pei
second, which is either added TO or subtract
ed from the translatory velocity Of nineteen
miles through space. Owing to this the energy
viii vary from twelve TO twelve hours by an
amount approximately equal to 1893. 600, OO0
foot pounds. which means that energy streams
I'm some unknown way into and out OF the
body of the automaton at the rate Of about
siNty-four horsepower.
But this Is not all. The whole solar system
IS urged towards the remote constellation OF
Hercules with a speed which some estimate al
twenty miles per second. and owing 20 this
there should be similar annual changes IN the
lux OF energy, which may reach the appalling
figure OF over one hundred billion foot pounds.
All these varying and purely mechanical effects
are rendered more complex through the iu.
clination OF the orbitsl planes and many other
permanent or casual mass actions.
The IT,. however. subjected 10
other forces and Influences. His body Is at
the electric potential Of two billion volts. which