|
Main
- books.jibble.org
My Books
- IRC Hacks
Misc. Articles
- Meaning of Jibble
- M4 Su Doku
- Computer Scrapbooking
- Setting up Java
- Bootable Java
- Cookies in Java
- Dynamic Graphs
- Social Shakespeare
External Links
- Paul Mutton
- Jibble Photo Gallery
- Jibble Forums
- Google Landmarks
- Jibble Shop
- Free Books
- Intershot Ltd
|
books.jibble.org
Previous Page
| Next Page
Page 5
The ultimate atom, which is the same in all the observed cases, is an
exceedingly complex body, and only its main characteristics are given in
the diagram. It is composed entirely of spirals, the spiral being in its
turn composed of spirill�, and these again of minuter spirill�. A fairly
accurate drawing is given in Babbitt's "Principles of Light and Colour," p.
102. The illustrations there given of atomic combinations are entirely
wrong and misleading, but if the stove-pipe run through the centre of the
single atom be removed, the picture may be taken as correct, and will give
some idea of the complexity of this fundamental unit of the physical
universe.
Turning to the force side of the atom and its combinations, we observe that
force pours in the heart-shaped depression at the top of the atom, and
issues from the point, and is changed in character by its passage; further,
force rushes through every spiral and every spirilla, and the changing
shades of colour that flash out from the rapidly revolving and vibrating
atom depend on the several activities of the spirals; sometimes one,
sometimes another, is thrown into more energetic action, and with the
change of activity from one spiral to another the colour changes.
The building of a gaseous atom of hydrogen may be traced downward from E 1,
and, as stated above, the lines given in the diagram are intended to
indicate the play of the forces which bring about the several combinations.
Speaking generally, positive bodies are marked by their contained atoms
setting their points towards each other and the centre of their
combination, and repelling each other outwards; negative bodies are marked
by the heart-shaped depressions being turned inwards, and by a tendency to
move towards each other instead of away. Every combination begins by a
welling up of force at a centre, which is to form the centre of the
combination; in the first positive hydrogen combination, E 2, an atom
revolving at right angles to the plane of the paper and also revolving on
its own axis, forms the centre, and force, rushing out at its lower point,
rushes in at the depressions of two other atoms, which then set themselves
with their points to the centre; the lines are shown in +b, right-hand
figure. (The left-hand figure indicates the revolution of the atoms each by
itself.) As this atomic triad whirls round, it clears itself a space,
pressing back the undifferentiated matter of the plane, and making to
itself a whirling wall of this matter, thus taking the first step towards
building up the chemical hydrogen atom. A negative atomic triad is
similarly formed, the three atoms being symmetrically arranged round the
centre of out-welling force. These atomic triads then combine, two of the
linear arrangement being attracted to each other, and two of the
triangular, force again welling up and forming a centre and acting on the
triads as on a single atom, and a limiting wall being again formed as the
combination revolves round its centre. The next stage is produced by each
of these combinations on E 3 attracting to itself a third atomic triad of
the triangular type from E 2, by the setting up of a new centre of
up-welling force, following the lines traced in the combinations of E 4.
Two of these uniting, and their triangles interpenetrating, the chemical
atom is formed, and we find it to contain in all eighteen ultimate physical
atoms.
The next substance investigated was oxygen, a far more complicated and
puzzling body; the difficulties of observation were very much increased by
the extraordinary activity shown by this element and the dazzling
brilliancy of some of its constituents. The gaseous atom is an ovoid body,
within which a spirally-coiled snake-like body revolves at a high velocity,
five brilliant points of light shining on the coils. The snake appears to
be a solid rounded body, but on raising the atom to E 4 the snake splits
lengthwise into two waved bodies, and it is seen that the appearance of
solidity is due to the fact that these spin round a common axis in opposite
directions, and so present a continuous surface, as a ring of fire can be
made by whirling a lighted stick. The brilliant bodies seen in the atom are
on the crests of the waves in the positive snake, and in the hollows in the
negative one; the snake itself consists of small bead-like bodies, eleven
of which interpose between the larger brilliant spots. On raising these
bodies to E 3 the snakes break up, each bright spot carrying with it six
beads on one side and five on the other; these twist and writhe about still
with the same extraordinary activity, reminding one of fire-flies
stimulated to wild gyrations. It can been seen that the larger brilliant
bodies each enclose seven ultimate atoms, while the beads each enclose two.
(Each bright spot with its eleven beads is enclosed in a wall, accidentally
omitted in the diagram.) On the next stage, E 2, the fragments of the
snakes break up into their constituent parts; the positive and negative
bodies, marked _d_ and _d'_, showing a difference of arrangement of the
atoms contained in them. These again finally disintegrate, setting free the
ultimate physical atoms, identical with those obtained from hydrogen. The
number of ultimate atoms contained in the gaseous atom of oxygen is 290,
made up as follows:--
Previous Page
| Next Page
|
|