APPENDIX 295 



is a true^w// of Ether. The difference is very important. 

 During the reaction the molecules are all alive. 



Then Prof. Dewar, recognizing the passive condition 

 of molecular matter at absolute zero or at very low 

 temperatures, that is when molecules are devoid or 

 nearly devoid of Ether, states " at such low tempera- 

 tures they seemed to be drawing near what might be 

 called ' the death of matter ' so far as chemical action 

 was concerned." 1 The term " death of matter " should 

 rather be "the sleep of matter," because when atoms or 

 molecules at very low temperatures or at absolute zero 

 again seize Ether their chemical activities revive. There 

 is no death to the energies of the atom or molecule, 

 what appears to be death is temporary inertness only. 



The evidence points to the fact that all matter devoid 

 of Ether, that is, at absolute zero, is incapable of 

 chemical reaction. Thus Profs. Moissan and Dewar 

 state : " Modern research has, however, revealed the 

 fact that the most powerful chemical affinities are 

 completely suspended by allowing substances to come 

 into contact at very low temperatures, and it appeared 

 possible that even fluorine, which has the most powerful 

 chemical activity of all the elements, might be mani- 

 pulated in glass vessels under such conditions." They 

 then go on to prove that, with fluorine, at low 

 temperatures, this is a fact with some few exceptions. 2 

 If a lower temperature than 210 C. could be obtained, 

 these exceptions would probably cease to exist. 



1 Proceedings Royal Institution of Great Britain, vol. xiii. No. 86, 

 1893, p. 698. 



2 Proceedings of the Chemical Society, No. 183, 1896-7, p. 175. 

 " On the Properties of Liquid Fluorine," by Profs. Moissan and 

 Dewar, 



