Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1883-08-04
MOLECULAR VIBRATIONS.

No scientific doctrine is more generally
believed than that of the conservation of
force. The great students of nature almost
uniEH4aly accept it. So many old and
credNsd theories have been overturned
that advanced thinkers are prepared to see
this one share such fate. This is posi-
bility only ; the theory is considered emf
nently 4 proved and true one. Briefly
stated it amounts to this In the universe
there is no natural power known to US that
can create or destroy force. All that man
can do is to transform it and change the
form of it's manifestations. Whenever
force becomes manifest to us, we can trace
it back to anterior forms. It never ap.
pears spontaneously generated, and from
no origin Heat, one form Of force, can be
changed into useful Efforts 1t is assumed
to represent an intense vibration of the
molecules. The minute heat vibrations of
the molecules, which create impulses inf.
mite in number, and, considering the size
of the molecules, Of almost infinite force,
can be heightened and made to coalesce
into a single prolonged effort.
A cubic inch of water may be heated, by
the combustion of carbon, until the repul-
sive force among its vibrating molecules
mas uGNGlODHls anu buC BALu6 VI NAoAAhAoA
have been increased to twelve times their
former length. Thus steam is produced.
The steam may be admitted into a cylinder,
under a close. fitting piston, which it will
raise until the space under the piston IS of
one cubic foot volume. II the steam IS al
lowed to condense, the piston viii return.
The minute vibrations of the molecules,
too small to be measured, or fully con-
ceived OF, have been joined together so as
to produce a single wave of foot front, 1t
may be, and of foot altitude. The first
phase Of an oscillation is represented in
the rise of the piston; its descent repre-
sents the second. The motion of the p;s-
ton only renders the expansion of the wa
ter into steam visible in its effects. The
true transformation of power was anterior
to all this. The proximate origin of the
force was the combustion of the fuel.
The chemical affinity Of carbon for oxy-
gen was called upon. These two elements
were made to unite. They rushed together
with very great yet measured velocity. As
molecule of carbon came against molecule
of oxygen, it was split up into atoms, and
Immediately combined with the oxygen.
Under the effects of the atomic conclusion
the newly-formed molecule of carbon d.
oxide started into vibration. The vibra-
tion was one of that character which at.
feets our nerves with the sensation called
heat. The myriad Of vibrations was i'm
parted to the cubic inch of water, and a
measure of their amount arrived at. 1t
came to some 2 900 foot. pounds.
This, it must be remembered, is theory,
and improved except by analogy. The re-
semblance between the phenomena of
sound and heat is very great Both can
be reflected and refrscEed; both can start
from a center and be radiated through
space, in accordance with identical laws.
Sound Is unquestionably due TO vibrations.
They can % seen by the unassisted eye.
Such are the vibrations of long string or
tuning.fork. From the analogiss between
the phenomenA of sound and heat, the
conclusion Is drawn that heat is also due to
vibrations.
We reach thus a true conception of the
theory. Heat vibrations are invisible.
They have been invented by scientists to
explain existing phenomena. The proof Of
their existence is an analogical one only !;
and analogy has SO often failed that the
whole theory is provisional. The proba-
bility of the existence of the vibrations is
founded on their capsbility to explain
known facts. As soon as a discordance is
shown they must be abandoned by the
theorizer. As soon as such discordance
between their existence and the phenomena
of nature is shown, the proof and proba-
bility of their existence vanishes.
The weakness of any attempt to seek
among molecular vibrations for a new
source of force is thus very evident. They
are not absolutely known to exist, and may
at any time be discredited, and new the
ory be adopted. To take such an improved
and unknown quantity as reservoir OF
new and hitherto undiscovered power is
going beyonds the bounds of analogy or
probability. Cor. Scientific American.