| Reference number | AP/39/4 |
| Level | File |
| Title | Paper, 'On the causes of the great variation among the different measures of the Earth's mean density' by W S [William Stephen] Jacob |
| Creator | Jacob; William Stephen (1813-1862); English astronomer |
| Date | 1856 |
| Description | Jacob describes a series of methods for measuring the Earth's mean density, which include comparing the total attraction of the Earth with that of a mountain mass; the Cavendish method, involving a small mass of known dense material; and Airy's method. He goes on to suggest the nature and amount of error that may be introduced by these methods.
Includes three geometrical diagrams in the text illustrating Jacob's calculations regarding error.
Subject: Physical sciences / Mathematics
Received 25 October 1856. Read 11 December 1856. Communicated by Professor [Baden] Powell.
This paper was published in full in volume 8 of the Proceedings of the Royal Society as 'On the causes of the great variation among the different measures of the Earth’s mean density'. |
| Extent | 7p |
| Format | Diagram |
| Manuscript |
| Physical description | Ink on paper |
| Digital images | View item on Science in the Making |
| Access status | Open |
| Related material | DOI: 10.1098/rspl.1856.0072 |
Fellows associated with this archive
| Code | Name | Dates |
| NA5476 | Powell; Baden (1796 - 1860) | 1796 - 1860 |