Year: 1879

spectrum of substances in the furnace will have
the same number of lines the spectrum of sub
stances thoy exist in the furnace. The only diff
ference will be in the relative thickness of the
lines. LET us suppose" says Mr.. Lockyer,
that the four furnaces represent the spcctra
of iron. broken up into different nenesses by
cessive stages of heat II is. first of ALL abundantly
clear that the relative thickness Of the iron lines OBJ
served will vary according the temperature
bles that of A. B. or d. The positions in thespec-
ira will be the same but the intensites will
This is the point. The longest lines represented in
the diagram by the thickes ones. will vary pass
from temperature TO another 1t is this ground
that the whole fabric of impurity elimination
must fall to pieces on such an hypothesis Let us
suppose. for instance that manganese is compound
of the form of iron represented in furnace b. with
something else: and suppose again that the photo
graph of iron which compare with manganese rep
resents the spectrum of the vapor at the tempera
ture Of the furnace, D. To eliminate the impu-
rity Of iron in manganese as / have eliminated
it, We begin the search by looking for the longest
and strongest lines shown in the photograph of iron
in the photograph Of manganese taken under the
same conditions: I do not ind these lines. say.
therefore, that there s impurity OF iron in
ganese. but. though the longest iron lines are not
there. of the fainter basic This hold
to be the explanation OF the apparent confusion in
which landed the supposition that the ele-
lncnts are elementary"


Mr. Lockyer next applies this line OF argument to
the dissertation of substances known to be compound
While the spectrum OF the metal calcium consists Of
lines which increase in thickness and number as the
quantity of the metal is increased the spectrum OF


salt Of calcium consists principally of futed spaces
and bands, increasing however, in the same way
Both spectra have long and short lines. Each has
simple spectrum in proportion to the quantity The
number OF true metallic lines that appear in the spec
trum Of salt of calcium, for example. indicate the
quantity of the metal resulting from the dissociaton
and these metallic lines increase the chuQneAled
bands of the compound diminish.


Having found a satisfactory explanation Of the
basic lines actually observed, the next inquiry
to ascertain how on the principle OF evolution
various bases might be formed and then become
complexity by process Of multiplication, or they
might become more complex by adding molecules of
different on inns. The former might be represented
by Ala. the latter method by ABB. third state
OF complexity brought about by the addition Of
another nolecule OF would be represented by b.
II certain lines are peculiar to certain substances
and generally visible in the several spectra, docs
not each become basis in turn the temperature is
changed?


Mr. Lockyer endeavored to solve this question by
the examination of the spectra of calcium, iron,
lithium and hydrogen first. and afterward by exam
last he has not yet given forth First he asceraincd
that the molecular grouping Of calcium which gave
q spectrum, having its chief line in the blue, was
nearly broken up in the sun ard quite broken up
when large coil and jar was used into other lines
in the violet part Of the spectrum He has placed
parallel % each other several spectra taken from
photographs, giving the blue end only. First, cal
cium. with chlorine with low temperature gives
spectrum without any lines in the blue. the
pound molecule vibrating as whole with spec
trum at the red end; second with tho heat OF in
duced current the single line OF calcium appears ut
the right; third. when the heat is increased and
weak electric is used two lines appear at the left
and thick line at the right which reverses itself.
In the fourth case, the number Of cells being in
creased two lines appear ut the lett and the
right. all reversing themselves. IN the fifth
coil and small jar is used and the lines. one the
right and two on the left. appearing in the same
relative place in the spectrum, longer
versed. but show clear. In the sixth case, with
large coil and large jar the two lines al the left ap
pear and the line the right is longer visible.
In the seventh is represented the spectrum OF
the absorption Of calcium vapor in the sun.


ture only the single line appears when slight separa
tion Of the compound moecule takes place. and with
the highest temperature alone the two lines at the
left appear, that the intensity OF the vibrations is
quite different in the two cases.


The clements il they really compound, must
have been made SO at temperature OF intense heat.
As heat diminishes the molecules become more COM
plex and heat increases dissertation may continue


The argument is continued with respect to cal
ciuna--"We justified in supposing that our CAL
cium, once formed. is distinct entity, whether it
be an element not and therefore by working at it
alone should never know whether the tempera-
ture produces single simpler form or moro
actually break it up into KY. because neither
nor y. will ever vary. But il calcium
be product of q condition of relatively
enable its constituents to exist uncompounded we
may expect these constituents to vary In quantity.
There may be moro of in one star and more OF
in another; and If this be then the "H'' and
''K lines will vary in thickness, and the EXTREMIST


limit OF variation will be that we shall only have
representing say v In another. mtermediately


between these extreme conditions may have cases
in which, though both and visible, II is
thicker in some and K is thicker in Others


Professor Stokes did not at first regard the facts


brought forward by NJ Locaysr as conclusive proo
though he accepted 1t evidence of the high tenn
perature Of the He thought 1t would be in ac-
cordance with analogy that in incandcscent
face the phenomena would appear when a


platinum wire is made incandescent by the electric
current except that the spectrum would be tiscou.
tinuousthe radiation of each refrangibiity aDso-


utey increasing and the proportion of the higher to


the lower increasing with the increase of temperature
He supposed A, b. q. ID and to represent very


bright lines Of increasing refrangibilty in the
truin of q vapor. AT q low temperature ought to
be the brightest, but with higher temperature @


might be the brightest and most persistent and at
still higher temperature L. DR.. higgins, however,


having taken photographs Of the spectra of certain


stars able materially to strengthen Mr.. Lockyers
theory. Indeed. tho line which should have been
most conspicuous in the spectrum of Sirius (pre-


sumably hotter star than our sum- in case Pro-
Stokes view correct, was faint IL could
scarcely be at all. The line in Sirius set
down to the one molecular grouping Of calcium is
thick another line due to another molecular
grouping. which is a thick line in the spectrum of
| our sun, does not yet appear at all in Sirius.


DR.. Huggins also took photograph of the spec
| trum OF Aquiln and found line corresponding to
the line of the solar spectrum which does not APP


pear in the spcctra of Lyr@ and Sirius. The spec


ira of calcium at different temperatures compared


with each other. viz. In Sirius. Aquilm. the sun.


the voltsic and in flame. Sirius representing the


hottest temperature. the II line in its spectrum is
| very prominent. In the cooler temperature OF


Aquile the line appears thick In the next cooler
temperature OF the the X line still appears thick
but falls of in thickness III the next lower empera-
ture the The blue appears thick in the arc.
while the II and X lines thin In the lowest tenn


perature employed. that OF flame the blue line fades
| away the heat dmnishes, while the red line vi
| less rcfrangibility Is prominent.


The spectrum OF iron Is complicated when CON-
| pared with sodium, potassium and certain other


substances. 1t has clearly reversed line, as each


OF them has. but the spectrum Of iron has two sets


trpet lines, which Mr.. Lockycr says are not due
! TO the vibration OF the same molecular grouping
| which causes the appearance Of most OF the other
| lines. In photographs taken three years ago. when


large coil and jar used, the triplet lines near
q are very prominent but the refrangiblo trip
| Let between Ii aud Is barely visible But in pho


tographs where the greater heat OF the voltaic


was employed the two moro rerangiblc lines, ncai


g. are to be distinct almost the triplct lines
| near g. Arc the trplcts caused by one molecular
grouping or by two? .'If one molecular grouping
| alone were i'll question the relative intensity would
| avuys be preserved, however much the absolute in