90 WHAT 18 LIFE 



ganic chemistry." However, there is no other key 

 to valency save the structure of the atom, since all 

 problems of energy involved in valency are bound up 

 with the atom's structure. // the atom really is a 

 planetary system, then all atomic functioning and all 

 relations among the atoms must be described in terms 

 of the atom as a planetary system. Therefore the 

 molecule of the chemist (sharply distinguished from 

 the molecule of physics, a convenient unit of 

 measurement in the kinetic theory of gases) is now 

 pictured as a system of planetary systems. A radical 

 is a cluster of planetary systems. Chemical bonds 

 are referred to the interrelations of the atoms as 

 planetary systems, and to specific valence electrons. 



All associations and dissociations of atoms, all the 

 manifold changes and properties whatever of all 

 chemical substances that are known to be due to 

 number and manner of combination of atoms, are 

 interpreted in terms of the dynamic planetary atom 

 and its orbital electrons. 



The radius of an atom is defined by the path of 

 its outermost orbital electron or electrons. 



An ion (charged atom or molecule) is a planetary 

 system, or a system of planetary systems, that has 

 suffered change through the gain or loss of one or 

 more orbital electrons. 



This is the general concept. It makes no dif- 



