The Washington times., 1923-03-14


transmitting agency Of light. He
has shown that. after all, the con-
lception Of continuous light waves
travelling through the ethereal
matter accepted as filling space
lis erroneous IN so far as it con-
lceiyes Of such waves being UNI
Mutations, that in reality the
Hight ray is transmitted BY 9
for energy, or 'quanta.'.p The inr
spression of Che ssWave" results
from the effect produced by the
activity of millions of quanta.
Disproyes Continuity Theory.
scientists declare the discovery Ii
important in that 1t. seemingly dis.
proves the theory Of continuity
which in many scientific quarters
Las been accepted as fundamental
lew.
'.The evidence Of the new theory
10 especially marked when we deal
with the atoms Of matter and with
tie atomic changes which give rise
to light and which accompany its
absorption, says Professor Som
i1erfeld. "A familiar example OF
this is the changes which take
place In a Photographic plate ex.
posed to the light. We know that
strong waves will smash a wharf,
and small waves will not. Similar
ly, we should expect, IL light were
waves. that bright light would
affect plate and q feeble light
would not affect II.
.As matter OF fact. however,
the effect Ii the same whether we
have strong. light for a short
time or weak light for a long
time. The effect is proportional
TO the number of 'quaIlta' which
land on the plate, and il not in.
fluenced by the distance they have
come or the. length Of time over
which their arrival 10 distributed. :"
/ Atoms Better Understood.
In talking Of atoms Professor
Sommerfeld points out that the
! atomic structure Of the chemical
/ elements have been better under
stood since the adoption OF the
quantim theory. "All atoms" he
declared, ARE now believed to con-
sist Of central charges OF positive
electricity with negative charges re-
/ volving around them like planets
around the SUM-" The quantum
theory, he also stated, explains the
position OF the lines of the spectrum
and makes possible calculation
OF the structure of the atom giving
off the light analysed by the
spectrum.
Professor Sommerfeld visited the
Bureau of Standards for the pur.
pose OF observing Its methods and
exchanging scientific data. He will
tour the country, visiting the lead
ing universities and lecturing on
theoretical physics.
Among the interesting results re-
Gently obtained at the bureau are
those connected with the use of
glucose in preventing the freezing OF
! automobile radiators. According to
Professor r. d. Harper, who made
the tests. glucose ia Of little value in
preventing freezing. The expert.
ments proved that while its pres.
enee in the solution carried in the
1 radiator lowered the freezing point
slightly, 1t also tended to clog the
| system.
$50 far as the results OF the ex.
periments co." said Prot. Harper,
lit seems that motorists will do as
well by using alcohol In their
radiators as glucose. Denatured
alcohol producing q 20 per cent
solution places the freezing point
at 10 degrees Fahrenheit. A 80
per cent solution drives 1t down to
10 degrees Fahrenheit. The for
mer will Bafesuard autolsts in this
section of the country, while the
latter solution should meet their
requirements in the more Northern
/, SECTIONS.
Motorists using alcohol can de.
termine the percentage carried in
their radiators by the hydrornetAr
. test. That ID the old gasoline test.
lGo IT, - n0n.freezIng solutions 70,