The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1924-04-04
liter IS
NOT SOLID,
BUT ALIVE
Molecules in All Substance in
Continuous State of
Vibration.
BY DAVID. DIETZ
Science Editor of The Times
COnYright by David DietZ


RI HE physicist has two more re-
| markable facts about molecules
- equally as astounding at first
glance as the fact that the diameter
of a molecule is on the average
one one ed-and-twenty-five-m
nonth of an irch.
The first fact ia that there is III
reality no such thing as solid" mat
ter.
So-called solid matter is not made
up Of molecules piled tightly together
like the bricks which make up a wall.
All matter Is porous in that there are
spaces between the molecules.
A simple experiment proves this. If
a piece Of gold is placed in a pool of
mercury, the gold will absorb some Of
the mercury just as a sponge absorbs
water What has happened is that
molecules of mercury have made their
way into the open spaces between the
molecules of the gold.
No Inert Matter
The second interesting fact is that
there is no such thing as inert matter
from the molecular viewpoint. There
is an old phrase dead as door nail"
But in the figurative sense of copsid-
ering motions as life, the door nail is
very much alive" The physicist
knows that the billions Of molecules
which compose the nail are in con-
tinuous and ceaseless motion or vibra-
ton.
The same is true Of all matter in
existence The molecules are In
continuous state of vibration.
It Is this vibration which accounts
for the temperature Of a body. AS
the rate Of vibration increases, the
temperature Of the body Increases.
In a solid, the molecules have fixed
positions They do not touch each
other and they are continuously vi
brating But each molecule seems
to stick to its own sphere.
Force Varies
The force which holds the mole
cules in their spheres varies In DIFF
ferent substances. That is why some
substances are soft and can be easily
broken, while others are very hard.
The molecules Of n steel bar have
so great an attraction that It takes
a force OF hundreds OF tons to pull
some steel bars into pieces.
In a liquid the molecules do not
adhere to specific positions. They
adhere TO some extent but are free
TO move about each other at random.
a very beautiful experiment Illus
trates the molecular motion in liquids
If very fine particles OF matter are
placed in a liquid and then watched
under a microscope. the particles will
be seen TO dart about violently like
billiard balls knocked about on a bill
Hard table.
Physicians have demonstrated that
movements after the scientist who
first observed them. are caused by
collision OF the particles with the
molecules Of a liquid.
Travels IN All Directions
In a gas, the molecules apparently
exercise no hold on each other at all
That IS why the slightest bit OF gas
let loose in a room Immediately
spreads throughout tho room. The
molecules travel cut in all directions
Each molecule of the air we
breathe Is travelling faster than
rifle bullet But II collides with an
other molecule every twenty-thou-
sandth of an inch and is turned from
its course five billions times a second
by such collisions
II we keep in mind the molecular
distinction between ga4as, liquids.
and solids. and also the fact that
temperature depends upon molecular
motion. we can see why heating a
solid turns it liquid and then gaseous
and also why gases and liquids can be
frozen into solids
Next article in series: Discovery of
| the Electron.