Studies of the Balance: Natural and Accidental Figures

Equal weights at equal distances may rest at any height

A balance with equal weights applied oppositely at equal distances from the pole can hold its extremities at various heights without forgoing its natural desire for equilibrium. The claim heads the study at the upper right.

Natural, false and accidental figures of the balance

The beam diagrams are captioned 'natural figure' with points b 4 a and d 4 c, a 'false figure' said to stand below for the natural one, and an 'accidental figure' with points f 4 e and 8 g 4 h.

Natural figure of two parallels versus accidental with one

The lowest pair is labelled 'natural, of 2 parallels' and 'accidental, with a single parallel,' contrasting the geometric arrangement of the beams.

A destra:

Figura con:

A sinistra, figura con:

Sotto le precedenti, figura con:

Figura con:

Sotto le precedenti, altre due figure:

On the right:

Figure with:

On the left, figure with:

Below the preceding, figure with:

Figure with:

Below the preceding, two more figures:

Studies of the Balance: Natural and Accidental Figures

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Equal weights at equal distances may rest at any height

Natural, false and accidental figures of the balance

Natural figure of two parallels versus accidental with one