The second law states that a period of preparation is the cause, and the trend that follows is the proportional effect. A large, well-built trading range stores more fuel than a small one and can produce a larger move.
Why the range is the cause
During accumulation the composite operator is absorbing supply; during distribution it is unloading. The longer this takes, the bigger the position being built or exited — and therefore the larger the move needed to realise it. Time and width in the range translate into distance in the trend.
Wyckoff traders traditionally used point-and-figure counts across a range to estimate targets, projecting the horizontal width of the cause into a vertical price objective. Modern traders often use it more loosely — a big base implies a big potential move, a small base a small one.
A trading range is stored cause; the trend that follows is the effect — bigger, longer ranges can fuel bigger moves.
Treat any count as a rough estimate, never a promise. Targets are frequently overshot or undershot, ranges can extend before resolving, and a projected objective is a planning aid — not a reason to ignore what price is actually doing on the way there.