122 CAUSES which affeEi the ACCURACY 



And if we now fuppofe the atmofphere to terminate, or y to 



I 



become = o, then = s(i -}, and the entire height of 



71 \ *y J 



the atmofphere, or v = 



a r.i1 



s D 



n 



THIS value of'v may either be finite, infinite, or negative, 

 according to the different magnitudes affigned to n and Z>. If 



thefe be fuch that s is equal to D , it is obvious that v is 



n 



n 



infinite ; but if s be greater than D , v muft be finite 



and affirmative. If s be lefs than D . then v is negative ; 



n 



by which we are to underftand, that the height of the atmo- 

 fphere is, as it were, more than infinite, or that its denfity is 

 finite, even at an infinite diftance. It muft be remarked, too, 

 that, when is very fmall, as it muft be in the cafe of the 



i n 



earth's atmofphere, D being nearly = i , we have v 



s 



n 



As a = 4343 fathoms, (on the fuppofition that the temperature 

 of the atmofphere is 32,) and as s 3491840, it follows, from 

 this formula, that, according as n is greater than .00125, equal 

 to it, or lefs, the denfity of the atmofphere will vanifh at a fi- 

 nite, an infinite, or not even at an infinite diftance. 



37. BUT to return to what is the more immediate objedt 



of this paper, it will now be proper to bring into one view 



the 



