Paper, 'On the Cavendish experiment' by C V [Charles Vernon] Boys

Description

Boys writes: 'The Cavendish experiment for determining the constant of gravitation, from which the density of the Earth may be calculated, is so well known that there is no occasion to describe it. This experiment, devised by the Rev. John Mitchell [sic], F R S, was first carried out by Cavendish, and has been since performed by Reich, Baily, and Cornu and Bailie, who have all followed very closely the arrangement of Cavendish.' Boys describes the development of apparatus for undertaking the experiment, and presents an instrument of his own design.

Annotations in pencil and ink. Includes two pages of geometrical diagrams and a photograph of experimental apparatus.

Subject: Physics / Scientific apparatus and instruments

Received 29 May 1889. Read 20 June 1889.

A version of this paper was published in volume 46 of the Proceedings of the Royal Society as 'On the Cavendish experiment'.

Reference number

PP/14/21

Earliest possible date

1889

Physical description

Ink and graphite pencil on paper

Page extent

27 pages

Format

Manuscript
Diagram
Photograph