THEORY OF LIFE 123 



revolve about the positive electron at some distance; 

 or the onrushing negative {orbital) electron will di- 

 rectly collide with the 'positive electron and will form 

 an exceedingly close union with it. 



Which one of these things will happen, depends 

 on the exact distance (within the critical limit) 

 between the positive electron and the nucleus of the 

 encroaching atom, and the path and kinetic energy 

 of the negative (orbit) electron that are involved. 

 It is certain that under the conditions postulated, 

 one of these things must happen. 



Obviously, whether a new hydrogen atom or an 

 excessively close union results from the impact, the 

 positive electron is lost to its ion and the negative 

 electron to its atom. 



In the event that, as postulated, the positive 

 electron and the negative electron join in an ex- 

 ceedingly close union, the resulting unit, though 

 consisting of the same constituents (one each of the 

 two known ultimate units) that spell the hydrogen 

 atom, of course would be unlike a hydrogen atom. It 

 would not he a hydrogen atom. For in order that one 

 positive electron and one negative electron should 

 form a hydrogen atom, it is necessary that they 

 should be found in those relations to each other that 

 are proper to the hydrogen atom; that is, with the 

 orbit electron revolving about the nucleus at a con- 



