OF THE THEORY OF THE NEWTONIAN POTENTIAL FUNCTION. BY B. O. PEIRCE, PH.D., ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF MATHEMATICS AND PHYSICS BOSTON: W. W. Beman For Phys. lit. Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1886, by GINN & COMPANY, in the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington. J. S. CUSHING & Co., PRINTERS, BOSTON. PREFACE. THIS book is almost entirely made up of lecture-notes which from time to time during the last four years I have written out for the use of students who have begun with me the study of what I have ventured to call, after Neumann, the Newtonian Potential Function. The notes were intended for readers somewhat familiar with the principles of the Differential and Integral Calculus, but unacquainted with many of the methods commonly used in applying Mathematics to the study of physical problems. These students, I learned, found it difficult to get from any single book in English a treatment of the subject at once elementary enough to be within their easy comprehension, and at the same time suited to the purposes of such of them as intended eventually to pursue the subject farther, or wished, without necessarily making a specialty of Mathematical Physics, to prepare themselves to study Experimental Physics thoroughly and understandingly. What is here printed seems to have been of use to some of those who have read it in manuscript, and it is hoped that it may now be helpful to a larger number of students. Since these notes are professedly elementary in character, I feel that no apology is needed for what may seem to be the rather prolix way in which some of the subjects are treated, or for an arrangement of matter which would be 426992 |