(5) J. A. B. asks: Is there any difference between electricity and magnetism? A. Electricity and magnetism are supposed to be manifestations of the same force whose actions are produced at right angles to each other; the action which occurs in the line of polarization being called electricity, and the one at right angles to this line, magnetism. There is an important difference between them, however, as electricity is essentially a dynamic force, while magnetism is purely static.
1. Is not the idea of the world moving around the sun in an elliptic form absurd? A. No. 2. My idea is that the north star is the center of the universe, or in fact is the magnet that all the suns or fixed stars move around, and that the attraction of the pole of the earth, although it moves around the sun, is the cause of the change of seasons, or, in other words, the angle of light. A. There is nothing whatever to support the idea. But a supposed center of the universe has really been designated by some astronomers.
(6) P. S. asks: How much copper wire does it require to construct an electro-magnet that will uphold 100 lbs., and what size of wire should be used? A. Probably 500 or 600 feet of No. 14 copper wire would be sufficient with 3 or 4 very large size Grove cells and cores about 6 inches long and 1 inch in diameter.
(7) H. S. B. says: Water falls about 16 feet per second. My overshot water wheel moves about 4 feet per second. Do I in that way lose that percentage of the actual power of the water? A. Not necessarily.
(8) C. N. B. asks: Can a steam engine be worked with compressed air the same as with steam? A. Generally speaking, it can; but not in every respect.
(9) J. Y. says: If all the measures of length, surface, and capacity in the world, and all the weights were lost, by what means could new ones be made corresponding exactly with those we now have? A. It would be impossible, as all the measures in use refer to certain arbitrary standards.
(10) R. B. G. asks: If a horse be pulling at the end of a lever and traveling 3 miles an hour, how many lbs. pressure against his collar must he exert, to raise 33,000 lbs. 1 foot per minute? A. The force exerted by the animal will depend upon the length of the lever, which should be given.
(11) C. H. McK. asks: Would a pump so constructed as to create an incessant suction draw water an indefinite distance, or how far would it draw it? A. Such a pump would raise water no higher than any other that was equally tight.
(12) J. W. says: I wish to get some boilers made about 12 inches in diameter and 13 inches deep. I want them to stand a pressure corresponding to 400° Fah°. Do you think it would be safe to have them made of cast iron? A. We think it will be better to use wrought iron. Make the shell about 7⁄16 of an inch thick.