Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 19??-1918, 1916-07-03
GLOBES N NATURE
Why Raindrops and the Planets
and Suns Are Round.
THE FORCES OF ATTRACTION.

A. . Crowd Gathers In . Circle Around
an objsot Of interest, 90 Molecular
and 0rsvitstIonsI Impulses In Mat
tor Act Toward . Center.
Falling rain forms into spherical
drops for the same reason that the
earth has become globe--namely.
because that In the shape In which the
internal forces Of attraction attain o
balance. In the case OF o very large
and massive body like the earth II Ia
the attraction OF gravitation that con
trolls the form. but In that Of small
body like a rnindrop II is the molecular
attraction OF the inhnitesimal particles
The intensity Of molecular attraction.
which In the force that holds the com
popents OF bodies together. 10 far great
er than that Of the attraction OF grayi.
tation. but Il II exercised over com
paratively Insignificant distance II
each case. however. the resultan, OF all
the attractions between the individual
particles u force directed toward the
center or mass.
But by the principle OF inertia time is
always required for any force or com
bination OF forces to set matter In mo
tion. The larger the volume Of matter
concerned the longer will be the time
needed for the internal forces TO group
Al the particles symmetrically around
their common center OF mass.
II IL upon this principle that the old
fashioned shot towers are operated.
Molten lead In dropped from great
elevation after passing through sieve
20 facilitate its separation into small
masses, and during their downward
hight these masses are rounded into
little spheres by the mutual attraction
OF their molecules. which group them.
selves around d common center.
with very large bodies not broken up
into small portions the grnvitational
force plays the principal part in shap.
Ing them. because gravitation IL efec-
tive at great distances aud throughout
vast masses. while cohesion. or nolecu.
lar attraction. IL extremely limited with
regard TO the space over which II acts
Each molecule attracts little group
OF other molecules close around Il. and
these In turn attract their immediate
neighbors. Within the space occupied
by a raindrop the molecular attraction
Ia the master force and quickly shapes
the mass Into sphere.
And Just MS n spoonful OF water
thrown from high tower will descend
In the form Of one or more round drops
owing 10 the resultant pnll OF all Its
molecules toward common center SO
the entire ocean II II were dung out
into open space would become a gigan.
tic ball OF water rounded into that
shape by the gravitstional attraction
acting throughout its whole mass.
II Ii by no accident that all the
planets are spherical They have
taken that shape AZ inevitably as q
loose stone rolls down steep hill
Their forms are not perfect spheres,
because they have been subjected to
outside disturbing forces. such MS the
centrifugal effects OF their rotation on
their axes and the determinations pro,
duced by the attraction Of other planets
aud Of the sun. Even the heads OF
comets are spheroidal, although they
are believed TO consist OF swarms OF
small bodies like meteors
This tendency OF masses whose com
ponent parts or particles are free tC
move among one another. to assume a
globular outline. Is curiously illustrated
even by crowds or swarms Of sentien'
beings. Thus a swarm Of bees when
II gathers close becomes spherical o,
spheroidal, since that form Is best
suited TO inclose the greatest number
of individuals.
a human crowd certainly would take
spherical form u It's members wer,
able to choose their positions as freely
In up and down rs In horizontal space
Being confined 10 one level they ar
range themselves In a circle, which |:
the section OF sphere. Garrett p
Serviss In New York Journal