The Bakerian Lecture. On the Viscosity or Internal Friction of Air and other Gases, extract from Philosophical Transactions, vol. 156

MAXWELL, James Clerk

Published by Publication Date: 1866

First edition of this important contribution to the kinetic theory of gases. "On November 23, 1865, the Royal Society received a paper by Maxwell titled 'On the Viscosity of Internal Friction of Air and Other Gases'. In this publication, he described an apparatus to measure the viscosity of gases, and the experimental findings for the coefficient of viscosity of some gases thus obtained. The apparatus consisted of three equally-spaced glass discs suspended by a wire, and allowed to move between four fixed discs, all enclosed in an air-tight glass container. A 4 ft long suspension tube was attached above the glass container, the whole being supported on a wooden frame. The receiver could be evacuated or filled with different types of gas, and the pressure was read using a barometer fixed to the suspension tube. A thermometer was laid on the upper, fixed glass plate. The temperature within the apparatus was varied by enclosing the receiver in a tin vessel through which cold water, hot water, or steam flowed. To set the disks in motion, a battery of magnets was placed under the glass container, and was moved to bring about the initial arc of oscillation. The oscillations of the plates were observed by reflecting light from a mirror attached to the suspension wire onto a scale 6 ft away. The method used was to measure the logarithmic decrement of the torsional oscillations of the glass discs . . . Maxwell's experiments confirmed his prediction that the viscosity was independent of the density, and showed that it was proportional to the absolute temperature. This last fact was incompatible with the hard and perfectly elastic particle model [of gases], and led Maxwell to investigate the behaviour of the interatomic force. Yet he anticipated in this publication that the force between the two molecules would be inversely proportional to the fifth power of the distance between them" (Bistafa, 'The Navier-Stokes equations from Maxwell's theory of gases,' Journal of the Brazilian Society of Mechanical Sciences and Engineering, 2018). 4to, pp. 249-268 and one plate (some foxing, particularly to the plate). Contemporary plain wrappers. Bound with six other 19th century offprints and extracts relating to viscosity (details on request) in contemporary half-morocco. Seller Inventory # ABE-1616340224645

Bibliographic Details

Title: The Bakerian Lecture. On the Viscosity or ...
Publication Date: 1866
Binding: Hardcover
Condition: Very Good
Edition: 1st Edition