Evening star., 1937-08-12
STARS, MEN AND ATOMS
Notebook of Science Progress in Field,
Laboratory and Study.
BY THOMAS K. HENRY.

Are there atoms Of time?
The hypothesis that duration is made
up OF dlscrete particles perhaps some
thing like a quadrillionth of a second
IN size. is being advanced by the rela-
Twist mathematician, DR.. Ludwig Siber-
stein
1t seems that Einsteins special theory
OF relatlvity demands something of the
sort IN order to support its basic con-
tention that the ultimate speed of any
particle in the universe is that of the
photon OF light-approximately l86, 900
miles a second. The theory also de-
mands particles of space.
10 naive experience, DR.. SilberStein
points out, time seems continuum
without any interstices, like continuous
straight line. 1t often is compared
POLITICALLY to continually flowing river
or even to a motionless desert over
which pass caravan after caravan of life
forms leaving footprints in the sands.
But in the final analysis the river is not
continuum. The water is composed
Of infinitely minute discrete particles
the electrons and protons of its elements
with spaces between them relatively
enormous in comparison to their size.
Even naive experience when it is
analyzed, DR.. SilberStein says, gives no
justification for the assumption that time
is continuous. 1t can be measured in
consciousness only by discrete pulsa-
ton of one sort or another-heart beats.
pulsations of pleasant or painful memory.
etc. If one actually could get into the
midget universe of the atom, he be-
lieves, the granular nature of time might
be obvious. Even as it is, he believes, the
assumption may not be beyond expert
mental demonstration. AS it is, the con-
tinuum of time seems to him an illusion
dictated by the pattern of the human
senses
The size Of this hypothetical time
particle" could be determined, DR.. Silber-
stein explains, by determining the in
terval required for a particle to pass
through an ultimate unit of space at the
greatest possible speed.
Now the greatest possible speed, as
postulated by the theory of relativity is
the speed of light-approximately l86, 900
miles second. Nothing greater ever
has been experienced. Nothing greater
calculations.
AAuo oAAC AdCVOA III Vic necessary
equation is known. This makes it pos
sible to set an upper limit to the size of
the time unit. The diameter of hydro-
gen molecule is approximately . hun
dredth millionth of centimeter. It is
about the biggest thing that could pos
sibly fill up single space cell. Calcu-
lation shows that it would require a par
ticle travelling at the speed of light
about three -trillionths of second to pass
through the diameter of the hydrogen
molecule.
Thus the time grain cannot be big
ger than three -trillionths of q second,
1t is highly probable that it is very much
smaller. There is every reason to believe,
DR.. Silberstein holds, that such q rela-
lively gigantic body as a molecule or
even an atom sprawls over many space
units. Possibly one such unit is filled
by single electron, the finest division
Of matter yet known.
The time unit, DR.. Silberstein believes,
always will defy direct experiment The
spark chronograph now makes 1t possible
to measure reliably intervals Of . mil
lionth Of . second and this Is about as
far, it seems likely, as the physicist will
be able to 60. Divisions Of few quad
rillionths Of 4 second, considered in deal
ing experimentally with the speed of
light. are differences rather than direct
measurements. And about the smallest
space It y possible 70 measure = SONS