434 
der Oberfläche der Atome gebunden ist. Man kann auch nur unter 
der letzteren, keineswegs unter der ersteren Annahme fein der Wirk- 
lichkeit entsprechendes Bild der Gas-dissociation erhalten.” *) 
Accordingly BorrzManN assumes that the chemical attraction resides 
in a sensitive region (empfindlicher Bezirk) or bulging out of the 
atom, which gives rise to the origin of a space called by him eriti- 
cal space (kritischer Raum). When now the centre of the second 
atom lies in the critical space of the first, and the sensitive regions 
of the two atoms partially overlap, the two atoms are certainly 
chemically bound to each other. 
As BOLTZMANN showed we are now compelled to assume that 
the sensible region is found locally and not uniformly round the 
whole atom, as this latter assumption would lead to absurdity. 
Accordingly the conclusion at which BorrzmanN has arrived is this: 
“In dem jetzt betrachteten Falle, wo der kritische Raum über die 
ganze Oberfläche der Deekungsphäre gleichmässig verteilt ist, würden 
sich, sobald die Atome sich überhaupt zu verbinden anfangen, sofort 
mit Vorliebe Aggregate bilden, die eine grössere Atomzahl enthalten. 
Es würde daher sogleich etwas Aehnliches, wie bei der Verfliissigung 
eines Gases eintreten’’. *) 
That the chemical attraction acts locally, is certain, and whether 
we accept BoLTZMANN’s view about the chemical attractive force or 
the newer view of Stark *), of Bonr *), or of J. D. VAN DER Waars JR. *), 
this is entirely indifferent at the moment, we only wish to state 
here very clearly that the chemical attractive force is a local force, 
acting in points the number of which is determined by the valency. 
That this chemical force governs the atom bindings in the mole- 
cule also in the solid state, and the valency must manifest itself in 
this phase as well as in any other, may be considered as firmly 
established, so that any representation which leaves out of account 
these circumstances so exceedingly important from a chemical point 
of view, must be erroneous. 
At last a third objection may be pointed out. The present repre- 
sentation of the solid substance is not able to account for the exist- 
ence of internal equilibria in the solid phase. 
3. It appears therefore, clearly from the foregoing that the cur- 
}) The italics are ours. 
ayn Set m2 tb: 
3) Prinzipien der Atomdynamik ILI. 
4) Phil. Mag. (6) 26, 1, 476. 857 (1913). 
5) These Proc. XVI p. 1082. 
