Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-09-21
NEW PHYSICS AXIOM.
INTERESTS SCIENCE.
Principle of identity"
Promises to Explain
ParadoxeS.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
BERKELEY, Calf, September 30
Identity, a new principle Of physics, at
tracted the attention of the National
Academy of Sciences today at its closing
session at the University of California.
Identity enables physicists to COM
pare two particles without use of old
fashioned measuring methods. 1t prom
ises to explain some of the paradoxes
that have puzzled scientists.
The principle was developed by DR..
Gilbert N Lewis of the University of
California, who recently proposed two
way time" and who is a world authority
on thermo-dynamics and atomic struc-
ture. He showed that in mathematical
physics time in the sense of future or
past is not necessary. Physics prob
lens work out as correctly running back
ward as forward.
Explanation of Identity.
Explaining identity, a new concept of
many scientists, he said:
I'm the old physics, If we had to
compare two particles, we could meas
ure with increasing accuracy their
masses or electric charges or some such
properties and say that the particles are
or are not the same within the limits
of experimental error.
Now we are becoming aware that we
have other methods which even with
out exact measurements tell us some
times that the two particles are or are
not identical
SameDess Is New Problem.
"In the old physics the question was
how nearly alike are the two. The new
problem IS to find whether they are
exactly identical or not.
L., Hat Ia
simple phenomena enable us to aScer-
tain often without exact measurement
this question of identity or non-identity.
It has been believed generally, for ex-
ample, for q long time that any two
electrons are exactly alike intrinsically.
The principle of identity draws the con-
sequences Of this assumption and shows
mathematical and physical consequences
that have not been hitherto pointed
out.
Suppose for example that we have
a molecule of two atoms. Let us con-
slider two such molecules and study
their spectrum lines (the lines that
light from them through a prism make
on a Photographic plate).
Twice as Many Lines in One.
1--WE thought them the same, but
find that one has twice as many lines
as the other, and the reason, we dis
cover, is this: The molecule with the
smaller number Of lines is composed OF
two atoms exactly identical. but the
one with double the number Of lines
is composed of two atoms which at
first sight appear Identical, but prove
to be slightly different.
zone atom, for example, might have
a mass of Is and the other II. 1t Is
not this difference in mass nor any
distinction that can be brought out by
ordinary physical measurements but
the absolute identity or non-identity OF
the atoms determines whether we find
q single or double set Of spectral lines.
$4,000 Gift Is Announced.
The academy announced today estab-
lishment of the John j. Carly medal
and award for the advancement Of
science. It Is $4,000 trust fund, given
the academy by friends Of Mr.. Carly
in the American Telephone 81 Telegraph
Co. 1t is given in recognition OF his
contributions to fundamental and APP
piled science while in telephone work,
and is to be used by the academy Tor
advancement of science.
The scientific sessions will be resumed
Monday at California Institute Of
Technology, at Pasadena.