The same laws of attraction being supposed, I say, that the exterior body S does, by radii drawn to the point O, the common centre of gravity of the interior bodies P and T, describe round that centre areas more proportional to the times, and an orbit more approaching to the form of an ellipsis having its focus in that centre, than it can describe round the innermost and greatest body T by radii drawn to that body.
For the attractions of the body S towards T and P compose its absolute attraction, which is more directed towards O, the common centre of gravity of the bodies T and P, than it is to the greatest body T; and which is more in a reciprocal proportion to the square of the distance SO, than it is to the square of the distance ST; as will easily appear by a little consideration.
PROPOSITION LXVIII. THEOREM XXVIII.
The same laws of attraction supposed, I say, that the exterior body S will, by radii drawn to O, the common centre of gravity of the interior bodies P and T, describe round that centre areas more proportional to the times, and an orbit more approaching to the form of an ellipsis having its focus in that centre, if the innermost and greatest body be agitated by these attractions as well as the rest, than it would do if that body were either at rest as not attracted, or were much more or much less attracted, or much more or much less agitated.
This may be demonstrated after the same manner as Prop. LXVI, but by a more prolix reasoning, which I therefore pass over. It will be sufficient to consider it after this manner. From the demonstration of the last Proposition it is plain, that the centre, towards which the body S is urged by the two forces conjunctly, is very near to the common centre of gravity of those two other bodies. If this centre were to coincide with that common centre, and moreover the common centre of gravity of all the three bodies were at rest, the body S on one side, and the common centre of gravity of the other two bodies on the other side, would describe true ellipses about that quiescent common centre. This appears from Cor. 2, Prop. LVIII, compared with what was demonstrated in Prop. LXIV, and LXV.
Now this accurate elliptical motion will be disturbed a little by the distance of the centre of the two bodies from the centre towards which the third body S is attracted. Let there be added, moreover, a motion to the common centre of the three, and the perturbation will be increased yet more. Therefore the perturbation is least when the common centre of the three bodies is at rest; that is, when the innermost and greatest body T is attracted according to the same law as the rest are; and is always greatest when the common centre of the three, by the diminution of the motion of the body T, begins to be moved, and is more and more agitated.
COR. And hence if more lesser bodies revolve about the great one, it may easily be inferred that the orbits described will approach nearer to ellipses; and the descriptions of areas will be more nearly equable, if all the bodies mutually attract and agitate each other with accelerative forces that are as their absolute forces directly, and the squares of the distances inversely: and if the focus of each orbit be placed in the common centre of gravity of all the interior bodies (that is, if the focus of the first and innermost orbit be placed in the centre of gravity of the greatest and innermost body; the focus of the second orbit in the common centre of gravity of the two innermost bodies; the focus of the third orbit in the common centre of gravity of the three innermost; and so on), than if the innermost body were at rest, and was made the common focus of all the orbits.
PROPOSITION LXIX. THEOREM XXIX.
In a system of several bodies A, B, C, D, &c., if any one of those bodies, as A, attract all the rest, B, C, D, &c., with accelerative forces that are reciprocally as the squares of the distances from the attracting body; and another body, as B, attracts also the rest, A, C, D, &c., with forces that are reciprocally as the squares of the distances from the attracting body; the absolute forces of the attracting bodies A and B will be to each other as those very bodies A and B to which those forces belong.
For the accelerative attractions of all the bodies B, C, D, towards A, are by the supposition equal to each other at equal distances; and in like manner the accelerative attractions of all the bodies towards B are also equal to each other at equal distances. But the absolute attractive force of the body A is to the absolute attractive force of the body B as the accelerative attraction of all the bodies towards A to the accelerative attraction of all the bodies towards B at equal distances; and so is also the accelerative attraction of the body B towards A to the accelerative attraction of the body A towards B. But the accelerative attraction of the body B towards A is to the accelerative attraction of the body A towards B as the mass of the body A to the mass of the body B; because the motive forces which (by the 2d, 7th, and 8th Definition) are as the accelerative forces and the bodies attracted conjunctly are here equal to one another by the third Law. Therefore the absolute attractive force of the body A is to the absolute attractive force of the body B as the mass of the body A to the mass of the body B. Q.E.D.
COR. 1. Therefore if each of the bodies of the system A, B, C, D, &c. does singly attract all the rest with accelerative forces that are reciprocally as the squares of the distances from the attracting body, the absolute forces of all those bodies will be to each other as the bodies themselves.
COR. 2. By a like reasoning, if each of the bodies of the system A, B, C, D, &c., do singly attract all the rest with accelerative forces, which are either reciprocally or directly in the ratio of any power whatever of the distances from the attracting body; or which are defined by the distances from each of the attracting bodies according to any common law; it is plain that the absolute forces of those bodies are as the bodies themselves.
COR. 3. In a system of bodies whose forces decrease in the duplicate ratio of the distances, if the lesser revolve about one very great one in ellipses, having their common focus in the centre of that great body, and of a figure exceedingly accurate; and moreover by radii drawn to that great body describe areas proportional to the times exactly; the absolute forces of those bodies to each other will be either accurately or very nearly in the ratio of the bodies. And so on the contrary. This appears from Cor. of Prop. XLVIII, compared with the first Corollary of this Prop.
SCHOLIUM.
These Propositions naturally lead us to the analogy there is between centripetal forces, and the central bodies to which those forces used to be directed; for it is reasonable to suppose that forces which are directed to bodies should depend upon the nature and quantity of those bodies, as we see they do in magnetical experiments. And when such cases occur, we are to compute the attractions of the bodies by assigning to each of their particles its proper force, and then collecting the sum of them all. I here use the word attraction in general for any endeavour, of what kind soever, made by bodies to approach to each other; whether that endeavour arise from the action of the bodies themselves, as tending mutually to or agitating each other by spirits emitted; or whether it arises from the action of the æther or of the air, or of any medium whatsoever, whether corporeal or incorporeal, any how impelling bodies placed therein towards each other. In the same general sense I use the word impulse, not defining in this treatise the species or physical qualities of forces, but investigating the quantities and mathematical proportions of them; as I observed before in the Definitions. In mathematics we are to investigate the quantities of forces with their proportions consequent upon any conditions supposed; then, when we enter upon physics, we compare those proportions with the phænomena of Nature, that we may know what conditions of those forces answer to the several kinds of attractive bodies. And this preparation being made, we argue more safely concerning the physical species, causes, and proportions of the forces. Let us see, then, with what forces sphærical bodies consisting of particles endued with attractive powers in the manner above spoken of must act mutually upon one another; and what kind of motions will follow from thence.
SECTION XII.
Of the attractive forces of sphærical bodies.
PROPOSITION LXX. THEOREM XXX.
If to every point of a sphærical surface there tend equal centripetal forces decreasing in the duplicate ratio of the distances from those points; I say, that a corpuscle placed within that superficies will not be attracted by those forces any way.
Let HIKL, be that sphærical superficies, and P a corpuscle placed within. Through P let there be drawn to this superficies to two lines HK, IL, intercepting very small arcs HI, KL; and because (by Cor. 3, Lem. VII) the triangles HPI, LPK are alike, those arcs will be proportional to the distances HP LP; and any particles at HI and KL of the sphærical superficies, terminated by right lines passing through P, will be in the duplicate ratio of those distances. Therefore the forces of these particles exerted upon the body P are equal between themselves. For the forces are as the particles directly, and the squares of the distances inversely. And these two ratios compose the ratio of equality. The attractions therefore, being made equally towards contrary parts, destroy each other. And by a like reasoning all the attractions through the whole sphærical superficies are destroyed by contrary attractions. Therefore the body P will not be any way impelled by those attractions. Q.E.D.
PROPOSITION LXXI. THEOREM XXXI.
The same things supposed as above, I say, that a corpuscle placed without the sphærical superficies is attracted towards the centre of the sphere with a force reciprocally proportional to the square of its distance from that centre.
Let AHKB, ahkb, be two equal sphærical superficies described about the centre S, s; their diameters AB, ab; and let P and p be two corpuscles situate without the spheres in those diameters produced. Let there be drawn from the corpuscles the lines PHK, PIL, phk, pil, cutting off from the great circles AHB, ahb, the equal arcs HK, hk, IL, il; and to those lines let fall the perpendiculars SD, sd, SE, se, IR, ir; of which let SD, sd, cut PL, pl, in F and f. Let fall also to the diameters the perpendiculars IQ, iq. Let now the angles DPE, dpe, vanish; and because DS and ds, ES and es are equal, the lines PE, PF, and pe, pf, and the lineolæ DF, df may be taken for equal; because their last ratio, when the angles DPE, dpe vanish together, is the ratio of equality. These things then supposed, it will be, as PI to PF so is RI to DF, and as pf to pi so is df or DF to ri; and, ex æquo, as PI × pf to PF × pi so is RI to ri, that is (by Cor. 3, Lem VII), so is the arc IH to the arc ih. Again, PI is to PS as IQ to SE, and ps to pi as se or SE to iq; and, ex æquo, PI × ps to PS × pi as IQ to iq. And compounding the ratios PI2 × pf × ps is to pi2 × PF × PS, as IH × IQ to ih × iq; that is, as the circular superficies which is described by the arc IH, as the semi-circle AKB revolves about the diameter AB, is to the circular superficies described by the arc ih as the semi-circle akb revolves about the diameter ab. And the forces with which these superficies attract the corpuscles P and p in the direction of lines tending to those superficies are by the hypothesis as the superficies themselves directly, and the squares of the distances of the superficies from those corpuscles inversely; that is, as pf × ps to PF × PS. And these forces again are to the oblique parts of them which (by the resolution of forces as in Cor. 2, of the Laws) tend to the centres in the directions of the lines PS, ps, as PI to PQ, and pi to pq; that is (because of the like triangles PIQ and PSF, piq and psf), as PS to PF and ps to pf. Thence ex æquo, the attraction of the corpuscle P towards S is to the attraction of the corpuscle p towards s as is to , that is, as ps2 to PS2. And, by a like reasoning, the forces with which the superficies described by the revolution of the arcs KL, kl attract those corpuscles, will be as ps2 to PS2. And in the same ratio will be the forces of all the circular superficies into which each of the sphærical superficies may be divided by taking sd always equal to SD, and se equal to SE. And therefore, by composition, the forces of the entire sphærical superficies exerted upon those corpuscles will be in the same ratio. Q.E.D.
PROPOSITION LXXII. THEOREM XXXII.
If to the several points of a sphere there tend equal centripetal forces decreasing in a duplicate ratio of the distances from those points; and there be given both the density of the sphere and the ratio of the diameter of the sphere to the distance of the corpuscle from its centre; I say, that the force with which the corpuscle is attracted is proportional to the semi-diameter of the sphere.
For conceive two corpuscles to be severally attracted by two spheres, one by one, the other by the other, and their distances from the centres of the spheres to be proportional to the diameters of the spheres respectively, and the spheres to be resolved into like particles, disposed in a like situation to the corpuscles. Then the attractions of one corpuscle towards the several particles of one sphere will be to the attractions of the other towards as many analogous particles of the other sphere in a ratio compounded of the ratio of the particles directly, and the duplicate ratio of the distances inversely. But the particles are as the spheres, that is, in a triplicate ratio of the diameters, and the distances are as the diameters; and the first ratio directly with the last ratio taken twice inversely, becomes the ratio of diameter to diameter. Q.E.D.
COR. 1. Hence if corpuscles revolve in circles about spheres composed of matter equally attracting, and the distances from the centres of the spheres be proportional to their diameters, the periodic times will be equal.
COR. 2. And, vice versa, if the periodic times are equal, the distances will be proportional to the diameters. These two Corollaries appear from Cor. 3, Prop. IV.
COR. 3. If to the several points of any two solids whatever, of like figure and equal density, there tend equal centripetal forces decreasing in a duplicate ratio of the distances from those points, the forces, with which corpuscles placed in a like situation to those two solids will be attracted by them, will be to each other as the diameters of the solids.
PROPOSITION LXXIII. THEOREM XXXIII.
If to the several points of a given sphere there tend equal centripetal forces decreasing in a duplicate ratio of the distances from the points; I say, that a corpuscle placed within the sphere is attracted by a force proportional to its distance from the centre.
In the sphere ABCD, described about the centre S, let there be placed the corpuscle P; and about the same centre S, with the interval SP, conceive described an interior sphere PEQF. It is plain (by Prop. LXX) that the concentric sphærical superficies, of which the difference AEBF of the spheres is composed, have no effect at all upon the body P, their attractions being destroyed by contrary attractions. There remains, therefore, only the attraction of the interior sphere PEQF. And (by Prop. LXXII) this is as the distance PS. Q.E.D.
SCHOLIUM.
By the superficies of which I here imagine the solids composed, I do not mean superficies purely mathematical, but orbs so extremely thin, that their thickness is as nothing; that is, the evanescent orbs of which the sphere will at last consist, when the number of the orbs is increased, and their thickness diminished without end. In like manner, by the points of which lines, surfaces, and solids are said to be composed, are to be understood equal particles, whose magnitude is perfectly inconsiderable.
PROPOSITION LXXIV. THEOREM XXXIV.
The same things supposed, I say, that a corpuscle situate without the sphere is attracted with a force reciprocally proportional to the square of its distance from the centre.
For suppose the sphere to be divided into innumerable concentric sphærical superficies, and the attractions of the corpuscle arising from the several superficies will be reciprocally proportional to the square of the distance of the corpuscle from the centre of the sphere (by Prop. LXXI). And, by composition, the sum of those attractions, that is, the attraction of the corpuscle towards the entire sphere, will be in the same ratio. Q.E.D.
COR. 1. Hence the attractions of homogeneous spheres at equal distances from the centres will be as the spheres themselves. For (by Prop. LXXII) if the distances be proportional to the diameters of the spheres, the forces will be as the diameters. Let the greater distance be diminished in that ratio; and the distances now being equal, the attraction will be increased in the duplicate of that ratio; and therefore will be to the other attraction in the triplicate of that ratio; that is, in the ratio of the spheres.
COR. 2. At any distances whatever the attractions are as the spheres applied to the squares of the distances.
COR. 3. If a corpuscle placed without an homogeneous sphere is attracted by a force reciprocally proportional to the square of its distance from the centre, and the sphere consists of attractive particles, the force of every particle will decrease in a duplicate ratio of the distance from each particle.
PROPOSITION LXXV. THEOREM XXXV.
If to the several points of a given sphere there tend equal centripetal forces decreasing in a duplicate ratio of the distances from the points; I say, that another similar sphere will be attracted by it with a force reciprocally proportional to the square of the distance of the centres.
For the attraction of every particle is reciprocally as the square of its distance from the centre of the attracting sphere (by Prop. LXXIV); and is therefore the same as if that whole attracting force issued from one single corpuscle placed in the centre of this sphere. But this attraction is as great as on the other hand the attraction of the same corpuscle would be, if that were itself attracted by the several particles of the attracted sphere with the same force with which they are attracted by it. But that attraction of the corpuscle would be (by Prop. LXXIV) reciprocally proportional to the square of its distance from the centre of the sphere; therefore the attraction of the sphere, equal thereto, is also in the same ratio. Q.E.D.
COR. 1. The attractions of spheres towards other homogeneous spheres are as the attracting spheres applied to the squares of the distances of their centres from the centres of those which they attract.
COR. 2. The case is the same when the attracted sphere does also attract. For the several points of the one attract the several points of the other with the same force with which they themselves are attracted by the others again; and therefore since in all attractions (by Law III) the attracted and attracting point are both equally acted on, the force will be doubled by their mutual attractions, the proportions remaining.
COR. 3. Those several truths demonstrated above concerning the motion of bodies about the focus of the conic sections will take place when an attracting sphere is placed in the focus, and the bodies move without the sphere.
COR. 4. Those things which were demonstrated before of the motion of bodies about the centre of the conic sections take place when the motions are performed within the sphere.
PROPOSITION LXXVI. THEOREM XXXVI.
If spheres be however dissimilar (as to density of matter and attractive force) in the same ratio onward from the centre to the circumference; but every where similar, at every given distance from the centre, on all sides round about; and the attractive force of every point decreases in the duplicate ratio of the distance of the body attracted; I say, that the whole force with which one of these spheres attracts the other will be reciprocally proportional to the square of the distance of the centres.
Imagine several concentric similar spheres, AB, CD, EF, &c.; the innermost of which added to the outermost may compose a matter more dense towards the centre, or subducted from them may leave the same more lax and rare. Then, by Prop. LXXV, these spheres will attract other similar concentric spheres GH, IK, LM, &c., each the other, with forces reciprocally proportional to the square of the distance SP. And, by composition or division, the sum of all those forces, or the excess of any of them above the others; that is, the entire force with which the whole sphere AB (composed of any concentric spheres or of their differences) will attract the whole sphere GH (composed of any concentric spheres or their differences) in the same ratio. Let the number of the concentric spheres be increased in infinitum, so that the density of the matter together with the attractive force may, in the progress from the circumference to the centre, increase or decrease according to any given law; and by the addition of matter not attractive, let the deficient density be supplied, that so the spheres may acquire any form desired; and the force with which one of these attracts the other will be still, by the former reasoning, in the same ratio of the square of the distance inversely. Q.E.D.
COR. 1. Hence if many spheres of this kind, similar in all respects, attract each other mutually, the accelerative attractions of each to each, at any equal distances of the centres, will be as the attracting spheres.
COR. 2. And at any unequal distances, as the attracting spheres applied to the squares of the distances between the centres.
COR. 3. The motive attractions, or the weights of the spheres towards one another, will be at equal distances of the centres as the attracting and attracted spheres conjunctly; that is, as the products arising from multiplying the spheres into each other.
COR. 4. And at unequal distances, as those products directly, and the squares of the distances between the centres inversely.
COR. 5. These proportions take place also when the attraction arises from the attractive virtue of both spheres mutually exerted upon each other. For the attraction is only doubled by the conjunction of the forces, the proportions remaining as before.
COR. 6. If spheres of this kind revolve about others at rest, each about each; and the distances between the centres of the quiescent and revolving bodies are proportional to the diameters of the quiescent bodies; the periodic times will be equal.
COR. 7. And, again, if the periodic times are equal, the distances will be proportional to the diameters.
COR. 8. All those truths above demonstrated, relating to the motions of bodies about the foci of conic sections, will take place when an attracting sphere, of any form and condition like that above described, is placed in the focus.
COR. 9. And also when the revolving bodies are also attracting spheres of any condition like that above described.
PROPOSITION LXXVII. THEOREM XXXVII.
If to the several points of spheres there tend centripetal forces proportional to the distances of the points from the attracted bodies; I say, that the compounded force with which two spheres attract each other mutually is as the distance between the centres of the spheres.
CASE 1. Let AEBF be a sphere; S its centre.; P a corpuscle attracted; PASB the axis of the sphere passing through the centre of the corpuscle; EF, ef two planes cutting the sphere, and perpendicular to the axis, and equi-distant, one on one side, the other on the other, from the centre of the sphere; G and g the intersections of the planes and the axis; and H any point in the plane EF. The centripetal force of the point H upon the corpuscle P, exerted in the direction of the line PH, is as the distance PH; and (by Cor. 2, of the Laws) the same exerted in the direction of the line PG, or towards the centre S, is as the length PG. Therefore the force of all the points in the plane EF (that is, of that whole plane) by which the corpuscle P is attracted towards the centre S is as the distance PG multiplied by the number of those points, that is, as the solid contained under that plane EF and the distance PG. And in like manner the force of the plane ef, by which the corpuscle P is attracted towards the centre S, is as that plane drawn into its distance Pg, or as the equal plane EF drawn into that distance Pg; and the sum of the forces of both planes as the plane EF drawn into the sum of the distances PG + Pg, that is, as that plane drawn into twice the distance PS of the centre and the corpuscle; that is, as twice the plane EF drawn into the distance PS, or as the sum of the equal planes EF + ef drawn into the same distance. And, by a like reasoning, the forces of all the planes in the whole sphere, equi-distant on each side from the centre of the sphere, are as the sum of those planes drawn into the distance PS, that is, as the whole sphere and the distance PS conjunctly. Q.E.D.
CASE 2. Let now the corpuscle P attract the sphere AEBF. And, by the same reasoning, it will appear that the force with which the sphere is attracted is as the distance PS. Q.E.D.
CASE 3. Imagine another sphere composed of innumerable corpuscles P; and because the force with which every corpuscle is attracted is as the distance of the corpuscle from the centre of the first sphere, and as the same sphere conjunctly, and is therefore the same as if it all proceeded from a single corpuscle situate in the centre of the sphere, the entire force with which all the corpuscles in the second sphere are attracted, that is, with which that whole sphere is attracted, will be the same as if that sphere were attracted by a force issuing from a single corpuscle in the centre of the first sphere; and is therefore proportional to the distance between the centres of the spheres. Q.E.D.
CASE 4. Let the spheres attract each other mutually, and the force will be doubled, but the proportion will remain. Q.E.D.
CASE 5. Let the corpuscle p be placed within the sphere AEBF; and because the force of the plane ef upon the corpuscle is as the solid contained under that plane and the distance pg; and the contrary force of the plane EF as the solid contained under that plane and the distance pG; the force compounded of both will be as the difference of the solids, that is, as the sum of the equal planes drawn into half the difference of the distances; that is, as that sum drawn into pS, the distance of the corpuscle from the centre of the sphere. And, by a like reasoning, the attraction of all the planes EF, ef, throughout the whole sphere, that is, the attraction of the whole sphere, is conjunctly as the sum of all the planes, or as the whole sphere, and as pS, the distance of the corpuscle from the centre of the sphere. Q.E.D.
CASE 6. And if there be composed a new sphere out of innumerable corpuscles such as p, situate within the first sphere AEBF, it may be proved, as before, that the attraction, whether single of one sphere towards the other, or mutual of both towards each other, will be as the distance pS of the centres. Q.E.D.
PROPOSITION LXXVIII. THEOREM XXXVIII.
If spheres in the progress from the centre to the circumference be however dissimilar and unequable, but similar on every side round about at all given distances from the centre; and the attractive force of every point be as the distance of the attracted body; I say, that the entire force with which two spheres of this kind attract each other mutually is proportional to the distance between the centres of the spheres.
This is demonstrated from the foregoing Proposition, in the same manner as Proposition LXXVI was demonstrated from Proposition LXXV.
COR. Those things that were above demonstrated in Prop. X and LXIV, of the motion of bodies round the centres of conic sections, take place when all the attractions are made by the force of sphærical bodies of the condition above described, and the attracted bodies are spheres of the same kind.
SCHOLIUM.
I have now explained the two principal cases of attractions; to wit, when the centripetal forces decrease in a duplicate ratio of the distances, or increase in a simple ratio of the distances, causing the bodies in both cases to revolve in conic sections, and composing sphærical bodies whose centripetal forces observe the same law of increase or decrease in the recess from the centre as the forces of the particles themselves do; which is very remarkable. It would be tedious to run over the other cases, whose conclusions are less elegant and important, so particularly as I have done these. I choose rather to comprehend and determine them all by one general method as follows.
LEMMA XXIX.
If about the centre S there be described any circle as AEB, and about the centre P there be also described two circles EF, ef, cutting the first in E and e, and the line PS in F and f; and there be let fall to PS the perpendiculars ED, ed; I say, that if the distance of the arcs EF, ef be supposed to be infinitely diminished, the last ratio of the evanescent line Dd to the evanescent line Ff is the same as that of the line PE to the line PS.
For if the line Pe cut the arc EF in q; and the right line Ee, which coincides with the evanescent arc Ee, be produced, and meet the right line PS in T; and there be let fall from S to PE the perpendicular SG; then, because of the like triangles DTE, dTe, DES, it will be as Dd to Ee so DT to TE, or DE to ES: and because the triangles, Eeq, ESG (by Lem. VIII, and Cor. 3, Lem. VII) are similar, it will be as Ee to eq or Ff so ES to SG; and, ex æquo, as Dd to Ff so DE to SG; that is (because of the similar triangles PDE, PGS), so is PE to PS. Q.E.D.
PROPOSITION LXXIX. THEOREM XXXIX.
Suppose a superficies as EFfe to have its breadth infinitely diminished, and to be just vanishing; and that the same superficies by its revolution round the axis PS describes a sphærical concavo-convex solid, to the several equal particles of which there tend equal centripetal forces; I say, that the force with which that solid attracts a corpuscle situate in P is in a ratio compounded of the ratio of the solid DE2 × Ff and the ratio of the force with which the given particle in the place Ff would attract the same corpuscle.
For if we consider, first, the force of the sphærical superficies FE which is generated by the revolution of the arc FE, and is cut any where, as in r, by the line de, the annular part of the superficies generated by the revolution of the arc rE will be as the lineola Dd, the radius of the sphere PE remaining the same; as Archimedes has demonstrated in his Book of the Sphere and Cylinder. And the force of this superficies exerted in the direction of the lines PE or Pr situate all round in the conical superficies, will be as this annular superficies itself; that is as the lineola Dd, or, which is the same, as the rectangle under the given radius PE of the sphere and the lineola Dd; but that force, exerted in the direction of the line PS tending to the centre S, will be less in the ratio PD to PE, and therefore will be as PD × Dd. Suppose now the line DF to be divided into innumerable little equal particles, each of which call Dd, and then the superficies FE will be divided into so many equal annuli, whose forces will be as the sum of all the rectangles PD × Dd, that is, as , and therefore as DE2. Let now the superficies FE be drawn into the altitude Ff; and the force of the solid EFfe exerted upon the corpuscle P will be as DE2 × Ff; that is, if the force be given which any given particle as Ff exerts upon the corpuscle P at the distance PF. But if that force be not given, the force of the solid EFfe will be as the solid DE2 × Ff and that force not given, conjunctly. Q.E.D.
PROPOSITION LXXX. THEOREM XL.
If to the several equal parts of a sphere ABE described about the centre S there tend equal centripetal forces; and from the several points D in the axis of the sphere AB in which a corpuscle, as P, is placed, there be erected the perpendiculars DE meeting the sphere in E, and if in those perpendiculars the lengths DN be taken as the quantity , and as the force which a particle of the sphere situate in the axis exerts at the distance PE upon the corpuscle P conjunctly; I say, that the whole force with which the corpuscle P is attracted towards the sphere is as the area ANB, comprehended under the axis of the sphere AB, and the curve line ANB, the locus of the point N.
For supposing the construction in the last Lemma and Theorem to stand, conceive the axis of the sphere AB to be divided into innumerable equal particles Dd, and the whole sphere to be divided into so many sphærical concavo-convex laminæ EFfe; and erect the perpendicular dn. By the last Theorem, the force with which the laminæ EFfe attracts the corpuscle P is as DE2 × Ff and the force of one particle exerted at the distance PE or PF, conjunctly. But (by the last Lemma) Dd is to Ff as PE to PS, and therefore Ff is equal to ; and DE2 × Ff is equal to ; and therefore the force of the lamina EFfe is as and the force of a particle exerted at the distance PF conjunctly; that is, by the supposition, as DN × Dd, or as the evanescent area DNnd. Therefore the forces of all the laminæ exerted upon the corpuscle P are as all the areas DNnd, that is, the whole force of the sphere will be as the whole area ANB. Q.E.D.
COR. 1. Hence if the centripetal force tending to the several particles remain always the same at all distances, and DN be made as , the whole force with which the corpuscle is attracted by the sphere is as the area ANB.
COR. 2. If the centripetal force of the particles be reciprocally as the distance of the corpuscle attracted by it, and DN be made as , the force with which the corpuscle P is attracted by the whole sphere will be as the area ANB.
COR. 3. If the centripetal force of the particles be reciprocally as the cube of the distance of the corpuscle attracted by it, and DN be made as , the force with which the corpuscle is attracted by the whole sphere will be as the area ANB.
COR. 4. And universally if the centripetal force tending to the several particles of the sphere be supposed to be reciprocally as the quantity V; and DN be made as ; the force with which a corpuscle is attracted by the whole sphere will be as the area ANB.
PROPOSITION LXXXI. PROBLEM XLI.
The things remaining as above, it is required to measure the area ANB.
From the point P let there be drawn the right line PH touching the sphere in H; and to the axis PAB, letting fall the perpendicular HI, bisect PI in L; and (by Prop. XII, Book II, Elem.) PE2 is equal to PS2 + SE2 + 2PSD. But because the triangles SPH, SHI are alike, SE2 or SH2 is equal to the rectangle PSI, Therefore PE2 is equal to the rectangle contained under PS and PS + SI + 2SD; that is, under PS and 2LS + 2SD; that is, under PS and 2LD. Moreover DE2 is equal to SE2 - SD2, or SE2 - LS2 + 2SLD - LD2, that is, 2SLD - LD2 - ALB. For LS2 - SE2 or LS2 - SA2 (by Prop. VI, Book II, Elem.) is equal to the rectangle ALB. Therefore if instead of DE2 we write 2SLD - LD2 - ALB, the quantity , which (by Cor. 4 of the foregoing Prop.) is as the length of the ordinate DN, will now resolve itself into three parts ; where if instead of V we write the inverse ratio of the centripetal force, and instead of PE the mean proportional between PS and 2LD, those three parts will become ordinates to so many curve lines, whose areas are discovered by the common methods. Q.E.D.
EXAMPLE 1. If the centripetal force tending to the several particles of the sphere be reciprocally as the distance; instead of V write PE the distance, then 2PS × LD for PE2; and DN will become as . Suppose DN equal to its double ; and 2SL the given part of the ordinate drawn into the length AB will describe the rectangular area 2SL × AB; and the indefinite part LD, drawn perpendicularly into the same length with a continued motion, in such sort as in its motion one way or another it may either by increasing or decreasing remain always equal to the length LD, will describe the area , that is, the area SL × AB; which taken from the former area 2SL × AB, leaves the area SL × AB. But the third part , drawn after the same manner with a continued motion perpendicularly into the same length, will describe the area of an hyperbola, which subducted from the area SL × AB will leave ANB the area sought. Whence arises this construction of the Problem. At the points, L, A, B, erect the perpendiculars Ll, Aa, Bb; making Aa equal to LB, and Bb equal to LA. Making Ll and LB asymptotes, describe through the points a, b, the hyperbolic curve ab. And the chord ba being drawn, will inclose the area aba equal to the area sought ANB.