66 



THE BEGINNINGS OF LIFE. 



particles. If we suppose a wooden ball to be allowed to 



from 



an 



experimenter into a basin of water, we have no difficulty 

 in imagining what the result would be. A great splash- 

 ing of the water would occur, and a visible motion of the 

 contents of the basin would remain for a considerable 

 time— though gradually diminishing in extent, and 

 therefore in the ease with which it could be perceived. 



the motion of one mass becomes arrested, but 

 communicates itself in a more diffused manner to a 



Here 



motion of which is seen to 

 But if the ball had been 



diminish most gradually. 



allowed to fall from a height of three hundred feet 



■) 



instead of from a height of six feet, and if it had fallen 

 upon a solid floor instead of into a basin of water, then 

 (with the exception of the motion of the rebound) all 

 the force existing as visible motion would have been 

 much more immediately expended in the production of 

 molecular motion in the ball and in the floor, and 



J 



this would have given rise to heat^ recognizable by 

 the aid of a thermoscope. Now the motion of a mass 

 is only the motion of an aggregate of molecules— the 

 molecules being numerous in direct proportion to the 

 size of the mass. So that in this case also^ when the 

 mechanical energy resulting from molar motion is con- 

 verted into heatj the energy (or motion) which the mass 

 displays ceases to manifest itself to us as motion 



on 



as 

 of 



soon as it has become expended in the product! 

 vibrations in the particles of the bodies which may 



\ 



V 





^ 



fh 



one 



of the mo 



ucha 

 itsel 



not so m 

 the force i 

 expends itself 



matter' 



either 



matter, or in 

 matter which i 



matter being w 

 said that the p 

 vital force. 



tlie words 



c 



con 



the expression 

 cessary use of 

 tended to fost 

 exercised its 



r 



gists t( 



•^^^d to effe< 

 within t] 



fore 



es 



no 



of 



special fore 

 ^°»version. 



W to 



