proceedings: philosophical society 191 



nected by singular curves with the same element of the positive nu- 

 cleus, while the other electrons in the atom have their singular curves 

 connected with different elements of the positive nucleus and, like the 

 electrons in the nucleus, help to keep the elements of the nucleus to- 

 gether. A change in valency may be associated with a change in the 

 distribution of the singular curves or Faraday tubes. Thus, if the 

 carbon atom contains six outer electrons two of which generally serve 

 to bind together two nuclear elements each carrying three positive 

 charges, it would be possible for the valency of carbon to change from 

 four to two but not to any other value. Similarly, if the nucleus of 

 the oxygen atom contains four a-particles and there are eight external 

 electrons, the only possible valencies for oxygen will be four and two. 

 On the other hand, if the nucleus of nitrogen is built up from two 

 a-particles and an element carrying a triple charge and there are seven 

 external electrons, then it is possible for such' an atom of nitrogen to 

 exhibit valencies of one, three, four, or even five. Diagrams were 

 shown illustrating these changes and suggesting a way in which energy 

 may be locked up in an atom, and, as energy is generally radiated when 

 a singular curve changes its shape and direction, it is easy to imagine 

 how some of this energy is radiated away during a rearrangement of 

 the singular curves. It should be noticed that when the variation in 

 shape of a singular curve is caused by an oscillation of an electric charge 

 at one end the width of the waves which travel along the curve increases 

 at a rate which is roughly equal to the maximum velocity of the source. 

 Now if the motion of the source is of type x = a sin cot, the maximum 

 velocity is aco while the maximum acceleration is aco 2 , consequently, 

 if co is very large, i.e., if the waves are of high frequency, the velocity 

 aco may be negligibly small while the acceleration aco 2 is appreciable. 

 Thus the intense radiation which travels along the singular curve may 

 be concentrated and act like a quantum of energy. 



The analogy with Thomson's model of the benzene ring also suggests 

 that arrangements of electrons and positive nuclei in which energy 

 flows in a cycle along the Faraday tubes are generally very stable. 

 The suggested theories of gravitation and atomic structure are re- 

 served for later publication. 



The chair expressed to Mr. Bateman the thanks of the society for 

 the interesting paper. 



Mr. L. B. Loeb then gave a paper on The electron theory of valence. 

 The fact that the 87 elements now known can combine to form only a 

 limited number of the nearly infinite combinations mathematically 

 possible, is explained through the fact that certain very definite laws 

 of combination seem to exist. The manifestations of certain regulari- 

 ties shown in these laws give rise to a property that is defined as valency, 

 a property which seems to show a periodic variation with the atomic 

 weight of the element. The forces causing these combinations are 

 generally accepted as being electrical in nature. The history of this 

 electrical concept of valency was briefly discussed, giving the con- 

 tributions of the various discoverers up to 1906. Since 1910 marked 



