Page:Newton's Principia (1846).djvu/264

 to a greater velocity is communicated to the same quantity of the medium in a less time; and in an equal time, by reason of a greater quantity of the disturbed medium, a motion is communicated in the duplicate ratio greater; and the resistance (by Law II and III) is as the motion communicated. Let us, therefore, see what motions arise from this law of resistance. 




 * If a body is resisted in the duplicate ratio of its velocity, and moves by its innate force only through a similar medium; and the times be taken in a geometrical progression, proceeding from less to greater terms: I say, that the velocities at the beginning of each of the times are in the same geometrical progression inversely; and that the spaces are equal, which are described in each of the times.

For since the resistance of the medium is proportional to the square of the velocity, and the decrement of the velocity is proportional to the resistance: if the time be divided into innumerable equal particles, the squares of the velocities at the beginning of each of the times will be proportional to the differences of the same velocities. Let those particles of time be AK, KL, LM, &c., taken in the right line CD; and erect the perpendiculars AB, Kk, Ll, Mm, &c., meeting the hyperbola BklmG, described with the centre C, and the rectangular asymptotes CD, CH, in B, k, l, m, &c.; then AB will be to Kk as CK to CA, and, by division, AB - Kk to Kk as AK to CA, and alternately, AB - Kk to AK as Kk to CA; and therefore as AB $$\scriptstyle \times$$ Kk to AB $$\scriptstyle \times$$ CA. Therefore since AK and AB $$\scriptstyle \times$$ CA are given, AB - Kk will be as AB $$\scriptstyle \times$$ KA; and, lastly, when AB and Kk coincide, as AB². And, by the like reasoning, Kk - Ll, Ll - Mm, &c., will be as Kk², Ll², &c. Therefore the squares of the lines AB, Kk, Ll, Mm, &c., are as their differences; and, therefore, since the squares of the velocities were shewn above to be as their differences, the progression of both will be alike. This being demonstrated it follows also that the areas described by these lines are in a like progression with the spaces described by these velocities. Therefore if the velocity at the beginning of the first time AK be expounded by the line AB,