Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-02-18

The universe-the sun and all the
millions of fixed StarS-SloWly is dis
solving into light. and there is good
evidence upon which to base the as
sumption that light in its turn is I'M
dergoing a Reconsideration into mat
ter, thus forming the elementary sub
stance of new stars and solar systems.
This was the statement of DR.. Ar
thur Haas, professor of physics at the
University of Vienna, in an address
last night at the Cosmos Club before
the Washington Academy of Sciences
and the Philosophical Society of Wash
ington.
The fact that luminous matter is
losing its substance, DR.. Haas said,
has been observed by astronomers
during the past three years, and the
rate at which the sun, for example, is
dfssolving into light can be computed
exactly by the Einstein theory.
Rebirth of Matter Probable.
Thus far. however. there has been
no means of observing directly the re-
Mrth of matter from light. But this
appears probable, he said. from the
Crcmpton effect discovered about two
years ago by professor at the Uni
versity of Chicago, and may take place
when light quanta enter a field of
c"4kAy IuOVIIiS vi SlSSliOIiS
and become atomic nuclei.
DR.. Haas spoke on The Atom as a
Source Of Energy" At present, he said,
there seems no practical way to utilize
the enormous forces bound up in the
atom, although a start may have been
made by successful experiments in
Germany this winter by which small
quantities of helium were built up
from hydrogen. thus achieving a
transmutation Of the elements.
DR.. Haas illustrated the possibilities
by describing the atom Of the simplest
form Of matter, hydrogen, which con.
sists Of one positively charged cleo
trio particle around which revolves at
enormous speed one negatively
charged particle. The whole hydrogen
atom Is one ten-millionth of a MILL
meter in diameter, and Of this whole
mass the negatively charged particles
represent only 1S47. The hydrogen
atoms in a cubic centimeter, he said.
II arranged like a rope of pearls would
be several times longer than one of
the transcontinental railroads.
Speed Controls Particle.
The negatively charged particle is
kept from falling into the positively
charged nucleus precisely as the earth
is kept from falling into the sun-by
the enormous speed Of it's revolutions.
It probably moves at the rate of 2.1SS
kilometers a second. a million times
the speed Of the fastest express train.
Now the simplest form of matter
after hydrogen is helium, whose
atomic structure Is that of four posi-
lively charged nuclei and four cleo
irons. But, DR.. Haas explains, the
weight Of an atom of helium is eight
tenths of / per cent less than the
weight Of four atoms Of hydrogen. AS
Stunning the former to have been built
up from the latter, there has been
loss of mass, doubtless due to trans.
formation into energy, somewhere in
the process which, if the transmuta-
ton could be worked at will, would
solve the worlds power problems. The
energy liberated by the transmutation
OF q single gram of hydrogen into
gram Of heliun. DR.. Haas said would
be equivalent to the energy produced
by the combustion Of 20 tons of coal.
Another manifestation of atomic
energy which has been observed Is
that due to the c. ing off of alpha
particles-each separate nuclei of
helium atoms. This is a case where
atoms are transmitting themselves.
These particles are cast off at the rate
OF from $4,000 to 10000 kilometers a
second. It was the observation of
the peculiar actions of the element
fadium which led to the PRONUNCIATION
Of the original theory of planetary
electrons.
Compares Coal and Radium.
DR.. Haas illustrated the greatness
Of the energy thus released by COM
pairing a pound of radium to a pound
of coal. The former would produce
in a few hours the same amount Of
heat as would be produced by burn
ing the coal. But the coal would be
reduced to smoke and ashes, incap.
able Of producing any more heat.
The radium could continue the pro-
cess day after day for 20 years and
lose only per cent Of it's total mass.
In other words a pound of radium
would be 100000 times more efficient
as heat producer than a pound of
coal. Eventually the radium would
disintegrate into lead and be no
longer capable Of producing much
heat.
These two methods Of utilization Of
atonic energy-synthesis Of helium
and natural disintegration of radium