ON THE STRUCTURE OF ATOMS. 81 



Let us take one more example. Two molecules of ammonia, 

 2(l^-H + i|-N). unite with one molecule of sulphuretted hydro- 

 gen, (11 + -JS), to make three molecules of hydrosulphate of 

 ammonia. Therefore a molecule of this latter substance is com- 

 posed as follows: (H + iN) + (H + |S), that is, l+4f + i + 5i= 

 11-J, its molecular weight. This multiplied into .069 makes .78, 

 the calculated specific gravity, while the observed is .79. 



In this manner we have found that the atom of hydrogen 

 divides itself into halves, thirds, and quarters ; that of nitrogen 

 into halves and quarters, and that of sulphur into sixths. In 

 like manner it can be shown (see table appended hereto) that 

 chlorine subdivides into halves, thirds, and quarters, phosphorus 

 into eighths, carbon into sixths, and nitrogen and oxygen into 

 thirds. Thus we see that atoms are far from being the indivis- 

 ible things which their name would imply and the chemical books 

 assert. They can be "cut up" at least into twelfths, which is 

 the common divisor of the fractions named above. 



When simple elements combine chemically, as oxygen and 

 hydrogen to form water, there is always a product entirely 

 different from either of the components. Ordinary mixtures 

 of the gases, as oxygen and nitrogen in the atmosphere, although 

 to all appearance as intimately associated as chemical combina- 

 tions, yet still retain all the properties of the ingredients. On 

 the other hand, chemical compounds will not show a trace 

 of the qualities of the original constituents. The atoms them- 

 selves have been broken up and rearranged. There has been a 

 new distribution of original matter in the molecules, and an 

 entirely new substance has come out of it. 



The alotropic states of oxygen in ozone and antozone, as also 

 those of phosphorus, sulphur, carbon and others, where the same 

 simple substances under different circumstances present entirely 

 different properties, can be explained only on the supposition 

 that there is some change or rearrangement of the internal 

 mechanism of the atoms themselves. 



Light is supposed to be a wave motion passing through space, 

 by means of an all-pervading ethereal medium, at the rate of 

 180,000 miles in a second. Each color of the spectrum has its 



