The Resistance of Globes

If a globe moves uniformly forward in a compressed, infinite, and non-elastic fluid, its resistance is to the force by which its whole motion may be destroyed or generated in the time that it describes eight third parts of its diameter, as the density of the fluid to the density of the globe, very nearly.

For the globe is to its circumscribed cylinder as two to three; and therefore the force which can destroy all the motion of the cylinder while the same cylinder is describing the length of four of its diameters, will destroy all the motion of the globe while the globe is describing two thirds of this length, that is, eight third parts of its own diameter.

The resistance of the cylinder is to this force very nearly as the density of the fluid to the density of the cylinder or globe (by proposition 37.) and the resistance of the globe is equal to the resistance of the cylinder (by lemma 5, 6, 7.). Q.E.D.

Corollary 1

The resistances of globes in infinite compressed mediums are in a ratio compounded of the duplicate ratio of the velocity, and the duplicate ratio of the diameter, and the ratio of the density of the mediums.

Corollary 2

The greatest velocity with which a globe can descend by its comparative weight thro’ a resisting fluid, is the same which it may acquire by falling with the same weight, and without any resistance, and in its fall describing a space that is to four third parts of its diameter, as the density of the globe to the density of the fluid.

For the globe in the time of its fall, moving with the velocity acquired in falling, will describe a space that will be to eight third parts of its diameter as the density of the globe to the density of the fluid.

The force of its weight which generates this motion, will be to the force that can generate the same motion in the time that the globe describes eight third parts of its diameter, with the same velocity as the density of the fluid to the density of the globe; and therefore (by this proposition) the force of weight will be equal to the force of resistance, and therefore cannot accelerate the globe.

Corollary 3

If there be given both the density of the globe and its velocity at the beginning of the motion, and the density of the compressed quiescent fluid in which the globe moves; there is given at any time both the velocity of the globe and its resistance, and the space described by it. (by corollary 7, proposition 35.)

Corollary 4

A globe moving in a compressed quiescent fluid of the same density with itself, will lose half its motion before it can describe the length of two of its diameters. (by the same corollary 7.)