ELECTRONS.

Hokitika Guardian, 1 March 1924, Page 4

ELECTRONS.

BASIS OF CHEMICAL .ARTS. (By Science Service). The atoms of which all matter is composed were described as sort of half-tamed solar systems by Dr Paul D. Foote, head of the department of atomic physics at the U.S. Bureau of Standards, in an address before the American Institute of Chemical Engineers. These “solar sv-terns” are capable of a certain amount of control by man, and upon this control depends all progress in chemistry, and not only that, hut all progress in till applications of science to the use of man. The electrons which compose the “planets” of these atomic systems have literally been commercialised. and whole industries arc absolutely dependent on the understanding ol the caprices ot these minute particles, which are really electricity, Dr Foote si tiled. An electron thrown out ot a glowing vacuum tube filament makes telephonic communication across the sea possible, another electron may produce the light of the arc lamp; under other condition- they are responsible for all the reactions which are the basis of the chemical industry. These •Hotair “solar xy-inn-" c.ni-si-ting of a definite number i,i tiittniteriinal electron-, whirling ah u:t a ecu trnl nucleus, while in ‘-nme wav - fMunhling our wc-il-[:n-)wn lamdy ol planets, are in ot law wn\ * vtrv diilerenl from it. For exampL. laid Dv Foute. if a c.u;i.'-i or -'.ray h‘>dv _ lag enough to have any elimi were to Collide with a r-">I filanet L ' w'uo!" energ-;- of ear solar I'-ni )' r-'dd ho permanently ;dfere;i. But n a “come! iji the linin' - ,r “ : r’ lona ' I nuliant eim-rgv c Hid--- with the ’•!•’•' ’ roll of an aiem revolving nh.ittt it. nnch'U-. simiething unite ibif'-n-oi <» cur Ihe eln-rgv of I lie g' si'.-in i' i norm;-ed. hut only by a re; Fin perl wt ly dclinißamount, and if there is any i-te.-r.gy left over the ' •comet” I aim-, it alone «9 h it on it> journey. Real .-olar -v-L’iii-di-Ti-r in en -rgy ; no two are alike : hut all the atom- of the .-nine kind of element are systmm. of identical energy and strueiure, an 1 c-mh belntves oxttelly like all its letlows. The “solar gvgem” theory ol the atom now being expounded in this (•:>: oj rrv Ip Professor Nil- Boh I is not so sal i-Rio!ore to the chemist as a stall" I henry which prove!' ■ lin'd point- for hooking up atoms lo make molecules But Dr I'm- think- the: l jic dvattmic ami -gain- theories arc not ron Ily in conl!ii i The- outer orhii.x ol elections might he regarded, for instance, as the comers of a. etiho. and this simple stalie pie!ure of an atom is sufficient to explain many known lact-g Alum-, alter ail, he concluded, are mor-- rnmplicalod than (it her a cube or a sphere. and newer fm-ls require new"!' theories. Bohr has ai(en'p'g'il lo provide by the it ■ ■ > I da In provitled by Ibo sport re scope. The Be.hr I Ivory, while a dh linci advance, will, in Dr Foote's opinion, either ho c'ccui nail*: si'iiersedeii by a ijihtcr one. or -.'ill la- m moililicd thal ii gill io-e its irleniify. !iv nres-'iit s-wi-oss isj due |o the vied number of observed fee i- V.'hich il ha-- h<vn a 1 ':" in cm-re-late by means of a very few nod - imply stated ideas.