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1894.1
179
[Bache.
Bache.]
180
[May 4,
popular instruction. I do not, of course, presumeto instructmembers of this Society as to these laws, with which theyare conversant, but the higher instructionis like head of water, whence the
waterflowsto and filtersthrough lower levels. Besides, beyond
the mere restatementhere of the laws to which I refer,lies matter
with which I think that not even the majorityof the members of
this Societyare conversant. These reasons form,in sum,myexplanation forintroducingthis particularsubject to the Society.
The momentum,as you are aware, with which a body, falling freelynear the surface of the earth, strikes, varies with the
latitude, or otherwiseexpressed,with the distance of a given place
fromthe centre of the earth, which, owing to the configurationof
the earth, corresponds with the latitude. But, for general purprecise for this, the distance, in the
poses, and quite sufficiently
firstsecond, which a freebody falls, near the surfaceof the earth,
froma state of rest, is accepted as i6. i feet,and the velocitywhich
it has acquired by the end of that space and at the terminationof
that time, as twice I6.I feet,or 32.2 feetin thatsecond.
The diagram on the blackboard illustratesclearly the effectupon
a body moving forone second under the influenceof gravity. To
understand,then,what follows,it will onlybe necessaryto observe,
by referringto the diagram, that the successive spaces traveled by
the fallingmass representthe squares of intervals,whetherof space
or time, and also that,althoughthe maximumspace traversedin a
firstsecond of fallis only i 6. i feet,yetthat,correspondinglywiththe
smallerspaces and the inclusive one (all squares of space or time),
the acquired velocitydoubles continuously,being, instead of i6. i
feet,32.2 feetin the second, by the time thatit has reached the end
of the firstsecond of fall. The diagram fullyexhibits the law of
both relativespaces and relativetimesconcerned in the phenomenon. If the firstunit of horizontal space on the diagram, onefourth,be taken as a unit of time, then its square will representthe
value of the correspondingdistance of fall. This is i foot, with
acquired velocityof 8 feet. For successiveunitsof time,-if a mass
fallsin i second, as it does, i6. I feet,thenin 2 seconds it falls i6. i
feetmultipliedby 2 squared. It falls in 3 seconds i6. i feetmultiplied by 3 squared, and in 4 seconds i6. i feetmultiplied by 4
squared, and so forth.
Could a soap-bubble move with the velocity of the swiftestcannon-ball, it would injure nothing that it mightstrike,while the
181
1894]
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182
[May 4,
pounds,a momentum
of onlyabouttwice3000 poundsis gen-
1894.]
183
[Bache.
tion of acquired velocity,or what is otherwise known as acceleration, due to terrestrialgravity. I am merelyputtingthe two equials,
as derived fromdifferentsources of power, in juxtaposition,so as
to compare and contrast themwith each other,and thus to bring
clearly before the mind that it is not likely that any boxer's blow
can have a speed essentiallygreater than that representedby the
acceleration due to gravityin half a second, or, in otherwords, the
rate of i6 feetper second. Terrestrialgravitywould, as indicated,
have nothingto do with the forceof the resultantblow. The blow
being horizontal,the force of gravitywith relation to it would be
virtuallynil. The statementhere is limited strictlyto the fact that
if the boxer can strike4 feetin a quarterof a second, he can strike
that distance with the momentumthat would be generated by gravity in one-half of a second, acting on any mass subjected to it from
a state of rest.
The factmustbe kept constantlyin view that mass and velocity
combined make momentuim. With enormous weight and great
slowness,the effectproduced is not of the natureof a blow, but that
of a push. With great velocity and minuteweight,the blow produced is slight. WVithboth great weight and great velocity,the
blow becomes tremendous. Here it is well to add that the popular
notion of the amount of his weightthat a man can put into a push
or a blow is highlyerroneous. Mechanical engineers,who are continuallyobliged to make computationsfor the deploymentof the
forceof pushingon capstan-barsfor drawbridgesand otherplaces,
know that,unless thereare cleats on the ground fromwhich the feet
can obtain some purchase,from15 to 20 pounds is about the proper
amount to allow forthe push of a man workingunder those conditions. The question thereforeremains open in every individual
case, unless instrumentally
settled,as to what proportionof the mass
of the boxer of I90 pounds entersinto his blow, and this, withdifferentmen, varies as well as the speed. But supposing,forthe sake
of argumentand demonstration,what has alreadybeen rejected,that
the whole weightof the man enters into the blow, its momentuim
for 4 feet, at the rate indicated, would be representedby I90
pounds multiplied by i6, or the rate of speed, at the half-second
point, due to the forceof gravityfora firstsecond, and would be,
as already noted, 3040 pounds. A man cannot,however,as already
stated, put his whole mass into a blow, because he cannot, by any
muscular effortwhatsoever,move freelyin space. The indispenPROC. AMER. PHILOS. soc. XXXIII. 145. X.
Bache.]
181
[May 4,
1891.]
185
[Bache.
the lower animals is one illustratingthe speed of a blow, the examination of it which has followedhas led to a remarkableconfirmation of the preceding estimate of speed. Plate No. 333 of the
Muybridge series representsthe phases of a knockdownblow, including the effects,until the person struckis prone on his back on
a mattress. The intervals between the photographic phases is
ninety-sixone-thousandthsof a second. Three successive phasepictures,thusvirtuallytaken one-tenthof a second apart, represent
the blow fromstartto finish. In the first,the strikingarm is drawnl
back and startingfromits point of departure. In the second, the
arm is seen projectingabout half way betweentheboxing opponents.
In the thirdand last phase of the blow the fistof the strikerlands
on his opponent. The intervalbetween the firstand second phase
having been virtuallyone-tenthof a second, and that between the
second and thirdalso one-tenthof a second, the blow was therefore
delivered in virtuallyone-fifth
of a second. Measurementson the
pictures giving the successive phases showrthat the lengthof the
blow from startto finishwas 38 inches. Here we have the rate of
of a second. We have previously used the
38 inches in one-fifth
estimated rate of 48 inches in one-fourthof a second. The data
derived, on the one hand, fromobservation,and that,on the other,
fromexperiment,coincide withina small fraction-within half an
inch.
It is open to observation that boxers who make theirliving by
ring-fightingcarefully conceal from the public, knowledge of the
momentumwith which theycan strike,althoughthiscould be easily
and safely obtained, and probably oftenis, with the glove and dynamometer. In the ring, as in many other instancesin which all
seems physical to the casual observer,moral elementsenter. The
dangerousness of the man whose exact moving energyof blow is
known, is to a certain extent discounted, so potent is the imagina.
tion in the affairsof men. Professional fightersknow, as well as
everyone else does, that everythingunknownseems mnagnificent.
The element of quickness in a boxer, in addition to courage,
skill, strength,weight,and endurance is indispensable. In the case
of such men as Sandow, muscles have been trained by workso ponderous that theydo not respond to the will forelastic, quick movemiients. Men like him cannot put the same speed into theirblows
as can men trained as Corbett has been, nor can theyput theweight
of theirbodies as effectively
into theirblows as men can who have
Bache.J
186
[May4,
1894.]
187
[Briiiton.