The New York herald., 1922-12-10
The Composition Of Matter
Nature Uses the Same Standard Bricks in the
Construction of All Atoms.

Association at Hml September ~. 1872. by
Reprinted from Nqtrre. eEs
big as the dome OF ST. Paul's we SHOULD
have Some difficulty in seeing the cleo
irons. which would be little larger than
pin heads. while the protons would es-
cape notice altogether as dust particles
invisible to the unaided eye. Experi-
mental evidence leaves us no escape
from the astounding conclusion that the
atom Of matter, ~ a asStructure, is empty.
empty as The solar, system. and what
we measure as Its Spherical boundary
really only represents the limiting orbits
of it's outerinost ei4crons.
The hypothesis which mas led to the
greatest sadxances, In. 'otr knowledge Of
the inner construction OF atoms is Ruth
erford:s. theofy Of the 'nuclahs atom
put forward In 1s11s This is supported
by so many results OF direct experiment
that II is now universally accepted and
must be substantially correct. 1t pos
tulatAs that an of thss sspOsitiye and about
half Of the negative electsicity. that is.
practically the entire weight. of the
a1ons, Ii concentrated at ats center. form-
ing very small body called the nu-
clenA In other words, ell the protons
and about half the electronsa In the atom
are packed together. forming . sort Of
sun round which ,reSolve the remaining
.eaectrona A. planets The number of
protons In excess OF tho electrons in the
nucleus Will clearly be- its' net positive
charge. and since this VIII not depend
en- the gross numbers. of protons and
electrons but only on their difference. we
can have elements the atoms Of which
Lave nuclei of different weights but the
same net charge. These are isotopes, for
the chemical properties of an atom are
.deternnined by the charge on It's nucleus.
The nucleus. Is extremely small COM
pared with the whole atom. Thus. II
Iii the atom oc heiiuH atomic weight
4satomic nuI&ber2 2 we take the nucleus.
consisting OF protons and 2 eiectrons,
as represented by rather large pea. its
planetary electrons may be represented
on the same scale as two rather smaller
peas revolving around ut at 9 distance
of. a quarter of a mile. The dislodg-
ment .sof one OF It's planetary electrons
from an atom requires comparatively
little energy and Is the well known proc
ess called ionization. This change Is
only a temporary one as the atom takes
the first opportunity of attracting 1t or
any other stray electron back into It's
orbit and becoming neutral again. 1t Is
by a sort of continual exchange OF such
loose electrons that electricity u con-
Quoted along metallic wires.
Disruption Of the nucleus. on the
other hand. needs enormous energy. but
once performed must give rise to the
atom of a new element. This process
of transp,utation has been achieved by
Sir Ernest Rutherford. in the case Of
some of the lighter elements. by bonn
harding their atoms with alpha rays,
which are charged helium nuclei ex-
PEELED at enormous speeds from radioac-
tive atoms during their natural process
of disintegration. From the tiny di-
mensions OF the nucleus compared with
those of the atom 1t Is obvious that the
chance Of getting q direct hit on the
nucleus is only one in many millions
but the experiments show that when
this does take place protons arc dis
lodged from the atoms of tho element
struck and that therefore transmutation
has been actually carried out ), a5.,is,
! II we could transmute the hydrogen
contained in one pint Of water the energy
80 liberated would be sufficient to propel
the Mauretania across the Atlantic and
hack at full speed. With such vast
stores of energy at our disposal there
would be literally no limit to the mate
rial achievements of the human race.
The possibility that the process -ot
transmutation might be beyond control
and result In the detonation OF Gil the
water. on the earth at once IL an, IN
teresting one, since. IN that case, the
earth and its inhabitants would be dis
sipated into space as a new. star but
the probability of such a catastrophe Is
too remote to be considered seriously,
A recent newspaper article pointed out
the danger of scientific discovery. and
actually suggested that any results OF
research which might lead to the liberia
ton of atomic energy should be sup
pressed. So, doubtless. the more elderly
and apelike of our prehistoric ancestors
grumbled at the innovation. Of cooked
food, and gravely pointed out the ter
ribfe dangers Of tho newly invented
agency. fire, but 1t can scarcely be
maintained to-day that subsequent HIS
tory has Justified their caution.