Pièce 6 - Notes (possibly a draft syllabus for a lecture) beginning ‘Importance of establishing connections between different branches of scientific enquiry …’

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Transcript

Importance of establishing connections between different branches of scientific enquiry; such steps are of the nature of revolutions in science.

Example in gravitation which connected together very various phenomena. Appearances indicate that present state of science is on the eve of such a revolution, which will connect together physical properties of gases liquids and solids, laws of chemical combination, electromagnetic phenomena, and the theory of light. We wish to help on this rapprochement by explaining what is the present state of knowledge in all these subjects, {1} indicating to the workers in each what are the facts required for further progress, and by stating as clearly as possible the bearing of certain facts revealed by the spectroscope.

Physical properties of gases. laws† of Boyle, Charles, Avogadro. Diffusion & viscosity. Kinetic theory independant† of nature of molecule. [Boscovitch. Mosotti. Birks. Macvicar. Bayma. {1}

Properties of liquids & solids not explained by kinetic theory. The two elasticities. Crystallization. Solution.

Chemical facts to be explained. Mechanical conditions for hanging together of a molecule like ordinary alcohol. Fact of different valencies or atomicities. Evidence for the chemical formulæ.

Electromagnetic phenomena and light. The ether makes a bridge between these. Maxwell’s provisional conception of the ether. This explains laws of electric and magnetic attraction & repulsion, action of currents on magnects and one another, laws of induction, velocity, {2} interference and polarization of light, rotation of plane by magnetic field.

Does not explain general action of transparent bodies on light; dispersion; nature of resistance to electric current; constant molecular charge in electrolysis; thermo-electricity; spectra of molecules.

All these things must come out of a knowledge of the form of atoms and their relation to the ether. What is pointed to is therefore a connection between kinetic theory & undulatory theory.

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The square brackets are in the original.

{1} ‘and by’ struck through; comma supplied.

{2} ‘and’ struck through; comma supplied.

† Sic.