Theory and Use of a Physical Balance

Abstract

THE author states that this publication was originally intended as a chapter of a book on practical physics for the use of students at the Clarendon Laboratory, but that he proposes to publish each chapter when ready, without waiting for the completion of the work. This method certainly has some advantages both from the author's and the student's points of view. The practical study of physics, like that of all other sciences, and perhaps even to a greater extent than any other, is rapidly becoming specialized, with the necessary consequences that while each subdivision is expanding and becoming weighted with more details and technicalities, many diligent workers on one part of the subject are indifferent to the methods and appliances used in other branches. The numerous army of students in electricity and magnetism may take, for example, but a very superficial interest in the experimental side of acoustics or optics. At the same time it may be open to question whether it is advisable to break a work up into comparatively small fragments, as appears to be the intention in the present case. Like all other matter, the subject may lose in cohesion by being presented in, too fine a state of division.

Theory and Use of a Physical Balance.

By James Walker, Demonstrator at the Clarendon Laboratory. (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1887.)