ig6 SCIENCE IN GRECO-ROMAN ANTIQUITY 



alone can inform us on this point. An example will 

 show more clearly that this is so. 1 Let us consider 

 a compound pendulum formed of a rigid rod of 

 negligible weight to which are fixed a weight of 2 lbs. 

 at a distance of 4 inches, and another weight of 2 lbs. 

 at a distance of 8 inches (Fig. 34). 



Fig. 34. 



Fig. 35. 



When the pendulum is held in a horizontal position 

 the moment of the force acting on it is equal to 



2x4+2 x 8 = 24. 

 According to the reasoning of Archimedes, we can 



x Cf. L. Lecornu, La Mecanique, Flammarion, Paris, 191 8, 

 p. 56. 



