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Elements of natural science. 博物之理
- On the property of bodies.
- 物質，物性
- Matter may be changed, but not destroyed.
- 物質能變而不能滅盡
- Matter has cohesive attraction.
- 物有牽合之性
- It has also the property of repulsion.
- 物亦有推拒之性
- There is a mutual affnity in bodies.
- 物質同者喜牽合
- Metals attract and unite with metal.
- 金質牽合金質
- Water, or aqueous bodies, attract water.
- 水質牽引水質
- Air, or aeriform bodies, attract air.
- 氣質牽引氣質
- The power of attraction is great or small
- 牽引力有大有小
- The sun attracts the earth.
- 日牽引地球
- The earth attracts the moon.
- 地球牽引月輪
- The moon attracts the tides.
- 月牽引潮水
- The earth attracts every thing to itself.
- 地牽引附地諸物
- Bodies gravitate to the earth not from it.
- 物向地不能離地
- Bodies are at rest or in motion.
- 物有動靜二性
- Rapid motion cannot instantly cease.
- 動極不能卽止
- Nor can bodies at rest, be put into motion at once.
- 靜者不能卽動
- Inertia and momentum are antagonistic.
- 靜動之力勝負相對
- Rapid motion quickly checked is dangerous.
- 動極驟止則傷
- A horse stopping suddenly, the rider falls forward.
- 馳馬驟止騎馬人向前墜下
- Or moving suddenly, the rider falls backward.
- 馬驟馳騎馬人向後墜下
- Collision injures according to the rate of motion
- 兩物撞觸動速者必傷
The Atmosphere. 地球周圍之氣
- Its height is about 150 Chinese le.
- 地氣能上升一百五十華里
- The higher it is from the earth, the lighter it becomes.
- 氣離地面愈遠愈輕
- The atmosphere is composed of oxygen and nitrogen.
- 養氣淡氣合爲地氣
- From supporting life, it is called vital air.
- 生物倚賴而生故名生氣
- The two gases are blended in fixed proportions.
- 氣淡氣調和有定度
- Oxygen is so called from its nourishing qualities.
- 養育萬物名養氣
- Nitrogen simply dilutes the oxygen.
- 淡氣只使養氣淡些
