DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.6095#0182
164 A TOUR THROUGH
course; but reaches us with the same
precision and regularity, as if nothing
had interfered with it. Besides, on the
supposition that light is real particles of
matter moving from the sun to the earth,
in the space of seven minutes, how comes
it to pass, that with all this wonderful
velocity, there seems to be no momentum!
for it communicates motion to no body
that obstruclis its passage, and no body
whatever is removed by the percussion.—1
Supposing we had never heard of this dis-
covery, and were at once to be told of a
current of matter ssying at the rate of ten
millions os miles in a minute, and so large
as to cover one half of our globe, would
we not imagine that the earth mud in-
stantly be torn to pieces by it, or carried
off with the most incredible velocity ? It
will be objected, that the extreme minute-
ness of the particles of light prevents it
from having any such effect;—but as these
particles are in such quantity, and so close
to
course; but reaches us with the same
precision and regularity, as if nothing
had interfered with it. Besides, on the
supposition that light is real particles of
matter moving from the sun to the earth,
in the space of seven minutes, how comes
it to pass, that with all this wonderful
velocity, there seems to be no momentum!
for it communicates motion to no body
that obstruclis its passage, and no body
whatever is removed by the percussion.—1
Supposing we had never heard of this dis-
covery, and were at once to be told of a
current of matter ssying at the rate of ten
millions os miles in a minute, and so large
as to cover one half of our globe, would
we not imagine that the earth mud in-
stantly be torn to pieces by it, or carried
off with the most incredible velocity ? It
will be objected, that the extreme minute-
ness of the particles of light prevents it
from having any such effect;—but as these
particles are in such quantity, and so close
to