420 ./. LeConte — Apparent Attractions and Repulsions 



an intermediate position nh. Hence, the point n will he below 

 the point o ; and the point k will be above the point r. It is 

 therefore assumed, that the moistened body B or B', will be 

 drawn away from A or A', by the excess of the weight of the 



exterior above the interior meniscus, due to the difference of 

 height on or o' n' : In like manner, the non-moistened body A 

 or A', will be pushed away from B or B', by the excess of 

 interior hydrostatic pressure due to the difference of level kr. 

 Hence, there is apparent mutual repulsion. 



Defects of the, hnyo/N(j explanations. — Leaving out of con- 

 sideration those physicists who have adopted, more or less com- 

 pletely, the matheinatieal methods of Laplace and of Poisson, 

 the foregoing 



nations of this class ot capillary 

 given by Brewster, Daguin, Sillim'an, Snell, and other writers 

 on elementary physics; and are essentially identical with the 

 explanations originally proposed by Monge.* The m<»st cur- 

 sory examination will serve to sfa storiness. 



In the first place, each case requires a special explanation: 

 there is no common physical principle coordinating the three 

 cases under consideration. Thus, in case 1, the weight of the 

 intervening elevated column of liquid draws the bodies to- 

 gether, without reference to the modification of hydrostatic 

 pressure due to the elevation. On the other hand, in case 2, 

 the bodies are pushed together by the excess of the exterior 

 hydrostatic pressures. Finally, in case 3, it will be noticed, 



Knoyc. Britannioa," Nth oil., article •' Hydnxlyna. 



Ill, "On Cap 

 Elumentaire do Pysiqi 



'. 2d K,|., n'.vi' 



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