Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1915-11-29

age reader. who lie probably familiar with
the name dynamo without knowing just
how the machine so called works:
THE dynamo Is a machine for oon-
verting mechanical energy into electrical
energy by means of electromagnetic
induction A dynamo does not create
electricity but generates. or produces, an
induced electromotive force which causes
a current to flow through a properly
insulated system of electrical conductors
external to it, The amount OF electricity
obtainable from such a generator the
dynano) is dependent upon the me
chanical energy supplied"
For the sake of still greater clearness,
II should be added that the "electromo
tive force" generated In the dynamo Is
produced by keeping an electric conductor
in rapid motion across the field of action
Of a magnet. The same effect results II
1t is the magnet which moves while the
conductor remains at rest.
To maintain the motion, mechanical
power must. of course, be expended, and
this fact is usually regarded as furnish
ing a sufficient explanation Of the mys-
terry Of the origin of the electric current
which flows from the dynamo. AS in the.
definition quoted above. the maintenance
Of that current is ascribed solely to the
mechanical power expended But this
explanation ignores the part thar the
magnet plays in the phenomenon. You
might whirl your conductor round BY
mechanical power until doomsday with
out getting a sign OF electricity II there
were no magnet at hand with its invisible
lines of force filing the space about
tt,o,, o,,yxya xa,1rd hatxpaan ita rpOlaa
II Is the cutting" of these lines by the
moving conductor that gives rise to the
electric current. and the wonder OF it is
the the magnet seems never to become
weakened or exhausted. We see how we
keep up the mechanical power. but we
do not see how the magnet keeps up its
supply of force undiminished- 1t re
stores It's cut tines continuously and
instantaneously, or keeps their strength
intact, in spite of the fact that energy Is
being constantly taken from them.
In fact, the magnet exhibits the same
mysterious property quite independent OF
its use in the dynamo. Take an ordinary
bar magnet. which is simply a piece Of
magnetized steel. and with 1t you can
magnetic, by mere touch, hundreds Of
other bars without apparently diminish
ING OTlBludl cNOlG VI AAAooh0NAsAAs
Perhaps the most interesting explana-
ton of this mystery is that offered by
DIR. Gustave lie Bon. He believes that
the inexhaustible store from which the
energy IL drawn 10 TO be found in the
heart of the atoms Of matter. It is
that marvellous thing called 'intra-
atomic energy" the denomination Of
whose existence is one OF the greatest
additions to human knowledge that has
ever been made. The energy shows itself
In the bombardment of almost infinitely
minute projectiles which radium inflicts
upon its surroundings.
What radium does conspicuously. there
is reason to think that all other kinds
OF matter do impereeptibly. This process,
by which infinitesimal particles called
corpuscles are shot off from the atoms of
material things, is named dissertation.
The corpuScles may be, in effect, nothing
more than moving electric charges. but
we have here nothing to do with that
aspect Of the question. What Immediately
concerns US is the probable fact that all
matter tends to turn, or TO be trans
formed into form or state which we
know as energy. Here, then. is the
source from which the dynamo draws its
inexhaustible supply, This Is the form
in which DR.. lie Bon puts the explanA-
ton;
when we see at work those gigantic
dynamos whence torrents OF electric fluid
flow. we should not say that they repre-
sent movement transformed into electric
ity. II is simply the intra-atomic energy
OF ASSOCIATED matter which appears
under the form of electricity"