Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-02-18
Things Worth Knowing
Valuable Industrial Data Cleaned
from Authorities for the Ken.
nehec journal.
ETHER.

Ether. the medium which fills
space. is believed TO permeate matter
As a fundamental conception in physi-
cal science. it is necessary for the
propagation OF the Vibratory motions
which constitute light. The evidence
is overwhelming that light and SINH
lar forms OF radiant energy are trans
mitted in all directions through the
visible universe from body to body:
and to give satisfactory explanation
of many optical phenomena, We are
forced to regard the vibratory motion
in ether which constitutes light as
taking place at right angles to the d.
'rection in which the light is being
propagated In other theories the
substance called ether" behaves an
al incompressible elastic solid, can
able of transmitting purely distortion
al disturbances only. This highly
elastic substance, filling all space. per-
lne atinE, all matter, ana tarobbins 10
the molecular vibrations of matter.
nevertheless exerts apparently no re-
sistance to the rapid motion of mat
ter in bulk through il. In other
words, matter must grip the ether
molecuiarly. but not in mass.
Attempts have been made to imagine
a mechanism by which this interrela-
ton between matter and ether may be
initiated, but with small success,
FreSnel formulated in mastery
manner the dynamical properties of
an ether in terms Of which the broad
phenomena of light could be eN-
ressed and Green, Stokes, Kelvin, and
others have striVen to find Il strictly
elastic basis for the wave theory OF
light The whole question of the con-
stitution of the ether entered upon
new and important phase with Fara-
days discovery of the effect Of magne-
tiSm on light; and of special Signifl-
canoe IS the brilliant theory enunci
ated and developed by Maxwell, that
light is an electromagnetic phcnome-
non
The ether now becomes a medium
capable of transmitting electric and
magnetic disturbances. Instead of dis
placements analogous to those in an
elastic solid we have electric dis
placements or tiuXes; ana did we
know what these We're in their ultl-
mate essence. the problem of the
ether would be solved. The present
tendency of speculation is to regard
ether and matter as two substances
through which, and in virtue OF the
motions of which. electric effects are
produced Under certain conditions,
the electric vibrations affect our or
CANS of vision, and luminous or OPP
tical phenomena are the result
Broadly speaking, MaXwelrs theory al
present holds the field; but there are
many notifications of it,
4 question of peculiar theoretic in
tnrost is the connection of matter and
ether. How far does the ether within
the region occupied by portion oil
matter partake of the motion OF the
matter? TO what extent for exam
pie. does the earth in its motion drag
the ether along with it? The phe-
nomenon known as the alteration OF
| light. in virtde of which stars appear
DISPLACED from their true position by
an amount depending on the ratio OF
the earths speed to the speed Of
light, would SEEM on first considera-
ton, to require that the ether in the
neiCnborhood of the earth did not
share in the earth's motion. But if
this we're so, other phenomena would
be observable, which the most deli
cate experiments have failed to show.
On the other hand, direct attempts
to establish the existence of a drag
on the ether, in virtue of heavy mat
ter moving rapidly through it, have
failed; and yet it was demonstrated