Rise and Fall of the Tides

Abstract

IN NATURE of April 27, Mr. A. Mallock writes on rise and fall of the tides, and illustrates his views by three specific cases in which a constant amount of energy is continually concentrated into a diminishing mass. To quote briefly: A heavy flexible cord passes through a hole in a fixed horizontal plate. The part below the plate is given an initial oscillation and swings as a pendulum. The cord is then drawn upward through the hole. The part above the plate is stationary, and the energy it contained is transferred to the part still hanging free, the mass of which continually decreases. Hence the velocity of oscillation tends to become infinite when the length vanishes.