167 



of the quantum hyi)othesis we must conclude that energy is absorbed in amounts 

 differing from those in which it is emitted or may even be absorbed continu- 

 ously. If energy exists in the form of atoms these must undergo some change 

 in the oscillator analogous to the chemical transformation of oz,ygen into 

 ozone, or vice versa. Furthermore, it would appear that there would need to 

 be as many different sorts of atoms of energy as there are wave-lengths of 

 electro-dynamic wave radiation. 



An alternative which has occurred to me is that the discontinuities in the 

 radiation are due to the mechanical form of the oscillator, that is, they are 

 not due to an atomic structure of the energy itself but rather to the oscillator. 

 Imagine, if you will, a circuit consisting of a condenser, inductive resistance 

 and spark gap in series, and in addition assvnne that the system can absorb 

 energy falling upon it in the form of radiation. For some potential difference, 

 V, the dielectric in the spark gap will break down and a discharge will occur, 

 all of the electric energy, ^CV", where C = capacity of system, being trans- 

 formed into radiant energy of the wave-train produced, or into heat. The 

 discharge will be oscillatory when CR- < 4L, R being resistance and L 



111 R- 



inductance, and its frequency will be v = — ^ . If we further as- 



2tc\ CL 4L= 



sume that R is negligible when compared with the other cjuantities, we have 



1 l~l~ 



V = — \j . Let E = energy of system at the instant discharge occurred, 



2ti^ CL 



11 3 1 



then E = - CV2 = - CV=.2x ./CL .v, or E = x C^ V=L ^ v. 

 2 2 



This eciuation is identical with Planck's eciuation, E = hv, if we put 



3 i 



h = C ^ V- L ^ = constant. Thus the energy is proportional to the frecjuency. 

 Some such oscillator may provide a means of escape from the conclusion that 

 energy is atomic. 



The emission law follows at once from the conception that the oscillator 

 will not be as apt to radiate into a space where the radiant energy is dense 

 as into one where it is rare. 



Whatever our conception as to the nature of energy itself there is abundant 

 reason for believing that it is emitted by bodies in discrete amounts. Ex- 

 perimental verification is to be found in widely-separated fields of research. 

 The quantum idea has gained such a foothold that Einstein and Stark would 

 abandon the electromagnetic theory of light for a corpuscular energy theory 



