THEORY OF LIFE 121 



on the ions, wefe orbital electrons that were pulled 

 out of their path by the attraction of the atom (or 

 ion) that gained them. 



VI. THE SETTING UP OF NEW RELATIONS 



There is postulated, then, a (local and momentary) 

 condition of critical concentration of ions, and a 

 hydrogen ion, let us say a H2+-ion {see page 108), 

 and an atom or ion of electropositive tendency 

 crowded together and with their domains overlap- 

 ping. (It is, of course, understood that the domain of 

 the atom or ion is described by the radius of the atom, 

 and the radius is defined by the outermost orbit of 

 the orbit electron or electrons of the atom.) The 

 overlapping of the domains of the H2+-ion and the 

 neighboring atom or ion (of electropositive tendency) 

 is due to the encroachment of the atom or ion on the 

 domain of the H2+-ion. This is plain if it be remem- 

 bered that the hydrogen molecule carrying a positive 

 charge consists of two nuclei (two positive electrons) 

 and one orbit electron. This one orbit electron 

 revolves about the two nuclei, and, however its path 

 may be conceived, with reference to its nuclei is 

 alternately at aphelion and perihelion. 



With the orbit electron of an H2''"-ion at aphelion, 

 the domain of the ion is open in the region of that one 

 of the two positive nuclei that is the farther one from 



