Part 30 (2/2)
”I can break the pencil, I can not break the poker; had these materials not different strengths there could be no distinction; had I no strength I could not have broken either.”
”Are you ready to listen?” he replied.
”Yes; but do not exasperate me.”
”I did not say that the combination you call a poker had no strength, neither did I a.s.sert that you could not break a pencil.”
”A distinction without a difference; you play upon words.”
”I said that matter, the ponderous side of material substances, has no strength.”
”And I say differently.”
He thrust the end of the poker into the fire, and soon drew it forth red-hot.
”Is it as strong as before?”
”No.”
”Heat it to whiteness and it becomes plastic.”
”Yes.”
[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 34. B B, telescoped energy spheres covered with s.p.a.ce dirt, inclosing s.p.a.ce between.]
”Heat it still more and it changes to a liquid.”
”Yes.”
”Has liquid iron strength?”
”Very little, if any.”
”Is it still matter?”
”Yes.”
”Is it the material of the iron, or is it the energy called heat that qualifies the strength of the metal? It seems to me that were I in your place I would now argue that absence of heat const.i.tutes strength,” he sarcastically continued.
”Go on.”
”Cool this red-hot poker by thrusting it into a pail of cold water, and it becomes very hard and brittle.”
”Yes.”
”Cool it slowly, and it is comparatively soft and plastic.”
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