24 The Cause of Life and Motion 



In the revolving fly-wheel, we have an illustration of 

 the action of the forces, the same as exhibited in the can- 

 non ball, although the effect is different. As the vi- 

 brations of the forces follow each other respectively in 

 nearly right lines, they act tangentially within and 

 about the fly, and by these means we get an effect over 

 and above the momentum, which developes itself as a 

 radial strain on the fly, while the effect of the forces 

 on the cannon ball is developed in sustaining the mo- 

 mentum and the weight of the ball. The force or mo- 

 mentum of a moving body .is simply a measure of its 

 weight and velocity, and if we ascertain the weight and 

 velocity of a certain falling body and then find a fly- 

 wheel of the same weight and of the same velocity at 

 the center of gyration, we will find that each developes 

 the same practical force, all other things being equal. 

 But we find in . addition to this practical force, a con. 

 stant strain or extra force on the fly, accruing from the 

 tangential forces. In the toy called the gyroscope, 

 these tangential forces are sufficient to almost wholly 

 sustain the device in the air when it revolves rapidly. 

 There is no new principle developed in the pheno- 

 menon however, notwithstanding its being a puzzle to 

 scientists, for the toy is supported in somewhat the same 

 manner as the cannon ball in its flight. It is very probable 

 that if a suitable ring were revolved in a plane about 

 its true center, and at a high velocity, by means of 

 some device which could suddenly be withdrawn with- 

 out affecting the center, then such a ring would be 

 maintained in the air by the tangential forces. 



Such a force as centripetal force, considered 

 as a central force, does not exist. It is supposed 

 to be a force emanating from some mysterious 



