ponentA <>: raction of th- infinite solid. And if 



increase in. I.-iiu it .-ly. we may coiu-lu<l<- that the attraction 

 kmtes without limit ^ body considered 



increases ; this we express by saying that the attraction of 







234. 1 : the law of attraction be that of the inverse square, 



\'m-U, thatw, 



('); 



preceding Article, we have for the attractions 

 parallel to the axes of x, y t s respectively, mini from the origin, 



V 7 



' ST * .. 



he equation which gives V is equivalent to the following 

 ration :d#mjxm the attracting mau into indrfinitcly 

 ll elements, and divide the man of each element by the 

 tance of that element from the attracted particle ; the mm of 

 e quotients is V. Hence, the value of V will be quite 

 ependent of the axes, rectangular or polar, which we may 



Suppose we use the ordinary 

 ar formula-, and take the position ot .acted pa 



the element of volume is (Art. 180) 

 #0r; therefore 



...... (2). 



attracted pa: ins part of the attnu 





s for those particle* of the attract- 







(1) it wmiM Ix* <loul>u'ul if V IA finite in 

 ease; but from (2) we see that it really 



> j by meant of V the attraction rtsolcta 

 atony any line* 



- arc of any curve measured from 

 1 point up to P the attracted particle ; /, m, the dircc- 



