Omaha daily bee., 1915-01-30

1t. lt does not Nj
spring back as 1t r ~ IA
would have done IL t
released before
heating. Where did the potential energy
go which had been stored up in the
spring by winding? or cat up the coiled
spring with nitric acid. What has be-
come of its potential energy now? In
using heat 1t will be noted that the same
amount of heat is given off from the
wound as from the unwound spring.
Reader. Papilion. Neb."
Many man of much scientific knowl-
edge and acumen has puzzled his mind
over you question Recent discoveries
have so shaken formerly accepted doc
trines that even the validity of the great
law OF the conservation of energy has
come to be doubted However putting
aside theoretical considerations, this law
appears to be so universally obeyed in
all the operations of nature that we can
experiment with (outsde the phenomena
of life or vital action that the presump-
ton is in its favor and when we find
something which seems TO contradict it.
we ought to be careful to exhaust every
plausible explanation before concluding
that the supposed law is no law
Now what does this law assert? It
asserts that the total energy contained
in the universe is a constant quantity,
and that, whatever particular forms it
may assume. its sum remains absolutely
the same. And what is energy? It is
that quality or condition by or through
which matter acts upon other matter so
as to produce changes of state or posi-
tion. In its many manifestations and
transformations, It appears in such forms
as chemical energy, electrical energy,
mechanical energy. all of which, under
suitable conditions. are Interchangeable,
one for another.
Every kind of energy has two phases
which we recognize-first "kinetic en-
ergy," or energy in the act of producing
motion or doing work. and second, ''po-
tential energy" or energy which ia cap
able Of doing work, but is not actually
doing anything. being stored up in some
portion of matter and resting idle. like
unexpended money in a lucky mans
pocket.
To get potential energy. kinetie energy
must be expended. Kinetic energy stands
for work, the product of work. But
each produces the other, or makes the
others existence possible.
/ take two cases of potential energy
for Illustration. First, that OF a stone
which is lifted certain distance above
the ground, and suspended there by a
cord. In lifting the stone kinetic energy
was expended against the force OF grav-
n.y. and this has now changed into po-
tential energy, or energy of position"
Being separated from the earth, which
attracts it, there is a pull upon the stone
tending to bring it back to the ground
This pull is balanced by the tension Of
the cord. If you cut the cord instantly
the potential energy begins TO change
back again into kinetic energy, and the
stone drops, developing in the course Of
its fall as much kinetic energy as was
originally expended IN lifting II.
But suppose that instead of cutting the
cord and releasing the stone you, by some
means, suddenly destroy the stone What
becomes of the store OF potential energy?
Clearly since you cannot destroy the sub
stance of the stone, but can only destroy
II as a stone. Transforming it into dust
or smoke, or gas, the apparently lost
energy has simply been divided up among
the billions of microscopic particles that
now represent the stone The total OF the
kinetic energy developed by their de-
scent TO the earth. no matter how long
il may take, will be equal to the amount
of potential energy that the stone con
tanned
But let us take another instance where
the disappearance of energy seems more
mysterious. This is your own case Of a
coiled spring. The kinetic energy ex-
pended in winding up the watch is stored
As potential energy in the spring Now
untemper or destroy the spring; what be
comes Of the energy in this case? Can
the ghost of coiled spring exert force
II it is a scientific ghost it may, and In
this way. Consider that the opposite sur
faces of the flat coiled spring, are in OPP
posits states OF strain. the concave sur
face elongated. It is conceivable that
when the spring Is immersed in the acid
the twofold strain TO which it's molecules
are subjected may give rise 10 electric
currents, which pass away into the ether
and the sum OF whose kinetic energy is
equal To the potential energy that the
spring held. This. TO be sure. is a hypo-
thetical explanation. but II is based upor
known physical principles. II you simpl,
untemper the spring by the application
OF heat all that you now destroy is tina
state Of the molecules which resulted from
the strain. but here again it is conceiv
able that the destroyed strain" may
have been taken up by the ether I'm som,
form OF electric energy.
In a word. It must not be assumed tina
the only way the potential energy in tn
cooled spring can be used is in driving tn,
wheels of the watch. II the spring. o
the state OF strain In the spring is de
stroyed the energy may reappear In tn
form Of heat. on electricity. or some othe
kind Of working force not yet recognize
by our science. In its new form il ma
pass away into the ether without bein
detected Careful experiments i'm thi
feld would possess ASSEMBLING interest