Industrial Research 



249 



like sodium ami i)otassiiim to be calculated theoretically 

 in good agreement with the experimental values. Of 

 course, such metals are not of great practical use, but 

 the physicist has also used X-rays to determine the 

 crystal structure of the metals actually utilized in 

 practice. While complete calculation of the atomic 

 properties of these rather complicated metals has not 

 yet been worked out, there is no question but that in 

 a few years it will be possible to calculate many of the 

 properties of such metals as copper and iron as well as 

 of sodium and potassium. An intensive study of the 

 physical properties of many of the useful metals, and 

 particularly of their alloys, has led to the discovery that 

 there is an internal order in atoms besides the ordinary 

 crystal structure, which has a great deal to do with the 

 physical properties of the alloys. The physicist is even 

 beginning to discuss such questions as the diffusion of 

 atoms in metals, strain and age hardness, and other 

 properties that formerly were considered to be entirely 

 within the realm of metallurgy. By bringing together 

 the knowledge of individual atoms and the forces acting 

 between them with that of the large scale properties of 

 metals such as hardness, tensile strength, etc., the 

 physicist hopes to provide a scientific basis for solving 

 many of the problems now existing in the field of 

 metallurgy. It is to be hoped that in the future the 

 physicist may be able to predict properties of alloys, 

 particularly from his knowledge of the structure of 

 their atoms. 



Solar Energy 



An extremely attractive field of research is the better 

 utilization of the energy of the sun. It has been shown 

 that we receive on the earth from the sun about 200,000 

 times as much energy per day as we are now using from 

 all sources. If a small fraction of the energy thus 

 received every day from the sun could be turned to 

 useful purposes, an enormous increase in the wealth 

 of the world would occur. The standard of living which 

 can perhaps be measured in terms of the power avail- 

 able per individual would be greatly increased at no 

 one's expense. With this in mind large grants of money 

 have been given to two institutions to carry on research 

 in the further utilization of this tremendous source of 

 energy. There are several ways in which a greater 

 utilization of this energy might take place. For in- 

 stance, if it were possible efficiently and economically 

 to carry out in the laboratory the synthesis of com- 

 pounds carried on every day by plant life with the aid 

 of clilorophyll and the sun, a source of energy would be 

 available. One might perhaps, merely by exposing a 

 particular kind of storage battery to light, produce a 

 chemical reaction which would charge the battery. If 

 that could be done, a very convenient source of power 

 would be available. We have all seen small photo- 



graphic exposure meters which when pointed toward 

 the sun, indicate the intensity of the current that is 

 passing. By investigation of suitable metals, would it 

 perhaps bo possible to make such photocells on a large 

 scale and to obtain large currents that would be useful 

 as sources of power? Still another example in which 

 current is obtained is the thermocouple, in which a 

 temperature difference between two metallic junctions 

 produces a feeble current. Unfortunately the tem- 

 perature rise produced by the sun is not large enough 

 to give us large ciUTcnts from a thermocouple. Per- 

 haps, however, if different metals or new alloys were 

 used in making the thermocouple, larger currents could 

 be obtained. All of these processes need further re- 

 search before anything definite can be said. Even the 

 direct concentration of sunlight by mirrors needs further 

 research before it can be said definitely that, in the 

 future, houses will not be heated or cooled by sunlight 

 rather than by gas or electricity. Research such as 

 this, from which results probably cannot be expected 

 for a long period of time, is best carried on in the 

 universities and in governmental and privately endowed 

 laboratories, but it is quite likely eventually to provide 

 new industries. 



Physics Contributes Indirectly to Progress 



In the foregoing discussion tlie direct results of the 

 application of physics in industry have been stressed. 

 There are, however, many indirect effects which, though 

 important, remain intangible. For instance, the exist- 

 ence of a research laboratory in an industrial plant has 

 a stimulating effect upon the mental attitude of the 

 entire industrial organization. The interest of the 

 individual in the plant is broadened and extended 

 beyond his daily task. He begins to make suggestions 

 for improvements in design and technique. Tlie 

 physicist, with his Icnowledge of fundamental principles, 

 can often be of service in directing these suggestions 

 along promising lines. 



Perhaps the most important indirect result of the 

 application of science in industry is the increased faith 

 aroused in the mind of the industrialist in the fact that 

 nature is orderly and that natural phenomena take place 

 according to definite rules which are known, or may be 

 learned, if research be undertaken. The taking of 

 adequate data under controlled conditions, the analysis 

 of these data, and the final drawing of conclusions with- 

 out prejudice, which is characteristic of the work of a 

 true scientist, gradually have their effect on the think- 

 ing of those with whom the scientist is associated. A 

 discipline is established which influences the attitudes 

 of others not only toward laboratory problems but 

 toward shop problems and any other difficulties that 

 may arise. As a result of this change in attitude many 

 of those problems which "can't be solved" have been 



