“Very true; but at what angle?--I see you hesitate, look therefore at the diagram I have prepared, and attend to my explanation of it.”
Mr. Seymour produced the sketch which we here present to our readers.
“A B represent the spoon and trigger in their quiescent position. Upon striking the end B with the bat, they are brought into the position C D. The spoon will thus have described the small arc A C, when it will be suddenly stopped by the end of the trigger D coming into contact with the shoe. The motion of the ball, however, will not be arrested, and it will consequently be projected forward out of the spoon.”
“Exactly,” exclaimed Louisa, “in the same manner as the shilling flew off the wine glass, or a person on a galloping horse would be thrown over the head by its suddenly stopping.”
“I thank you, Louisa; your memory, I perceive, has not suffered from the drenching you received from the water-cart;[[25]]--but can you tell me,” continued Mr. Seymour, “the direction which the ball will take after its release from the spoon?”
This was a step beyond Louisa’s knowledge, and her father, in order to assist her, begged her to consider in what direction it was moving before it left the spoon.
“You have just told us,” said Tom, “that it described an arc, or portion of a circle.”
“Very well,” said Mr. Seymour; “and did not the philosophy of your sling teach you that, when a body revolving in a circle is suddenly disengaged, it will fly off in a right line in the direction in which it was moving at the instant of its release?--the ball therefore will describe the tangent C E.”
“It is all clear enough to me now,” said Tom, evidently vexed that he had overlooked a principle which had been so lately explained to him by the action of his sling.