SCIENTIFIC MEMOIRS. 



VOL. v.— PART XXI. 



Article XVIII. continued. 



Experimental and Theoretical Researches on the Figures of 

 Equilibrium of a Liquid Mass withdrawal from the Action of 

 Gravity. By J. Plateau, Professor at the University of 

 Ghent, Member' of the Royal Academy of Belgium, ^-c. 



Second Series. 



Other figures of Revolution besides the Sphere. Liquid Cylinder. 



37. J-/ET us now endeavour to form some new liquid figures. 

 Those best adapted to theoretical considerations would be figures 

 terminated by surfaces of revolution other than the sphere and 

 lenticular figures, which we have already studied. Surfaces of 

 revolution enjoy simple properties in regard to the radii of the 

 greatest and least curvature at every point ; we know that one 

 of these two radii is the radius of curvature of the meridional 

 line, and that the other is that portion of the normal to this line 

 which is included between the point under consideration and the 

 axis of revolution. We shall now endeavour to obtain figures 

 of this nature. 



38. Let our solid system be composed of two rings of iron wire, 

 equal, parallel, and placed opposite to each other. One of 

 these rings rests upon the base of the vessel by three feet com- 

 posed of iron wire ; the other is attached, by means of an inter- 

 mediate piece, to the axis traversing the central stopper, so that 

 it may be approximated to or removed from the former by de- 

 pressing or elevating this axis*. The system formed by these 



• In the experiments which we are now about to describe, the short axis 

 represented in fig. 2 of the preceding memoir, and which has hitherto answered 

 our purpose, must be replaced by another of about 15 centims. in length. 

 VOL. v. PART XXI. 2 U 



