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Darwin Correspondence Project

From G. H. Darwin   [c. 16 October 1873?]1

Dear Father,

If the impact of a weight falling on a horizontal plane is unity—the following table will give it for the other inclinations2

Inclination of plane to horizon Impact
0o. 1.
10o . 9848 = 910 or 98100
20o . 9397 = 910 or 94100
30o . 8660 = 910 or 87100
40o . 7660 = 810 or 76100 or 34
45o . 7071 = 710 or 71100
50o . 6428 = 610 or 64100 or 23
60o . 5000 = 510 or 50100 or 12
70o . 3420 = 310 or 34100 or 13
80o . 1736 = 210 or 17100 or 16
90o  0

This may be epitomised thus, less to 40o the impact is about 910 at 40o it is 34, 45o it is 710, at 50o = 23, at 60o = 12, at 70o = 13 at 80o = 16 & at 90o of course 0o

Your affectionate Son | G H Darwin

Footnotes

The date is conjectured from the relationship between this letter and the letter from G. H. Darwin, 16 October 1873.
George’s letter may have to do with CD’s question about the angle a waxy leaf ought to hold to the horizon in order that raindrops should bounce off as completely as possible (letter to G. H. Darwin, 12 October [1873], and letter from G. H. Darwin, 16 October 1873).

Summary

Sends table showing relative force of impact of weight dropped on a plane inclined at different angles.

Letter details

Letter no.
DCP-LETT-9078
From
George Howard Darwin
To
Charles Robert Darwin
Sent from
unstated
Source of text
DAR 162: 62
Physical description
ALS 2pp

Please cite as

Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 9078,” accessed on 28 March 2024, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-9078.xml

Also published in The Correspondence of Charles Darwin, vol. 21

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