Laws Of Physical Science; A Reference Book

LAWS OF PHYSICAL SCIENCE A REFERENCE BOOK BY EDWIN F. NORTHRUP - 1917 - THIS COLLECTION OF NATURES LAWS IS LOVINGLY DEDICATED TO AN ABLE AND MOST HONORABLE EXPONENT OF HUMAN LAWS MY FATHER HON. ANSEL JUDD NORTHRUP -- PREFACE -- eXACT knowledge consists of accumulated facts and seb of formulated propositions respecting facts. Data, Mathe- matical relations and Physical laws constitute the three firm supports of Physical science and Engineering. The data of physical science are readily accessible in several published tables of physical constants. The mathe- matics used in physical science has been summarized, classi- fied and formulated, for ready reference, in many published books. The author is not aware, however, of any hand-book or rbference work which contains a full list of the geieral propositions or laws of science. Such reference lists are not without value, and this book has been prepared to fill an obvious gap in the literature of Physical Science. Furthermore, it appears to the author that students in any of the branches of Natural Science will not only find guidance, but will also derive inspiration by having before them under a singleview the very epitome of the worlds heritage of the fundamentals of its knowledge and wisdom. None will question that the fundamentals of science are its laws, principles, theorems and precise state- ments of the general properties of matter but it is not always easy for students in one branch of science to find and to know the literature on important principles and facts in an entirely different, or even in closely allied branches of science. The author hopes that what has been here gath- ered together and classified will help such students intheir search and give them the means to broaden their view. We have chosen for a title, Laws of Physical Science but many general propositions, theorems and mere state- ments of important facts have been included which perhaps, if strictly considered, could not be discriminated as laws. IndBed, it was found impossible, in many cases, to decide if certain propositions possess sufficient generality and validity to deserve the title law. When, however, such doubts existed, a policy of inclusion, has been followed in preference to one of exclusion. For convenience and system the general statements. in all 480 with title have been classified in six sections I-Mechanics 11-Hydrostatics, Hydrodynamics and Capillarity 111-Sound IV-Heat and Physical ChemistGy V- .-Electricity and Magnetism VI-Light. Each law, proposition or general statement is characterized by giving it a heading or title. Each proposition I covered b a title is followed by one, and in many cases by - several references to easily accessible text-books, standard treatises, and, in a few cases, to original articles or papers, where one may find the propositions stated in different forms and additional information concerning them of authoritative character. While many laws of Physical Science have had their origin with individual investigators, the perfected form of statement they now possess has been in the main reached by a process of .intellectual growth in which many have taken part. It has seemed, therefore, wiser to make most of the references to treatises and text-books on physics, physical chemistry and cliemistry, rather than to papers written by the authors of the propositions. Moreover, original papers, beside containingmuch extraneous matter, are not usually readily accessible as are text-books and treatises...