PAPERS ON CHEMISTRY AND PHYSICS 157 



THE INTER-RELATION OF THE SCIENCES 

 Paul L. Salzbeeg, Knox College 



The study of the sciences as unified and related sub- 

 jects has an interesting analogy in the field of physical 

 chemistry. Research in radio-activity and in atomic dis- 

 integration has led to a conception of the elements which 

 points out a fundamental unity between them. Recent 

 theories on atomic structure seem to indicate that atoms 

 of helium are the most important components of the posi- 

 tive neucleus of every atom, and that differences in ele- 

 ments are not due to differences in matter but merely to 

 differences in numbers and arrangements of these atoms 

 of helium and the electrons which revolve about them. 

 Now it is important to note that although the concep- 

 tion of elements was originally based on the assumption 

 that there were different kinds of matter, this classifica- 

 tion of simple substances is still justified not only by their 

 obvious differences but also by their practical value to 

 the chemist. 



In the same way the sciences may be shown to be as 

 closely related without detracting from the importance 

 of the classification into departments. This classifica- 

 tion is necessary because the general situations presented 

 by nature are too complex to be studied as units. Nature 

 presents an apparently simple phenomenon such as a 

 rainfall, but history tells us that those who attempt to 

 solve its mysteries without classifying its various aspects 

 completely fail to arrive at valid conclusions. Mythical 

 gods such as Thor, the God of Thunder, were invented to 

 explain a situation too complex for their method of re- 

 search. 



Instead of drawing conclusions directly from nature's 

 phenomena, the modem scientist idealizes certain aspects 

 and studies them separately in the various departments. 

 It was in accordance with this scheme that Mr. John 

 Aitken discovered the importance of dust in precipitat- 

 ing a rainfall by passing steam into two large receivers, 

 one filled with ordinary air and other with filtered air. 

 The first was filled instantly with condensed vapor in 

 the usual cloudy form while the other remained quite 



