472 



NATURE 



[June io, 1920 



The Molecular Energy in Gases. 



"D Y request of the council of the Royal Society of 

 -L* Edinburgh, an address on "Molecular Energy in 

 Gases " was delivered on May 3 by Principal Sir 

 Alfred Ewing, who began by referring to a series of 

 papers on the foundatioi\s of the kinetic theory which 

 were communicated to the society thirty years ago 

 by a great teacher and a great master of the subject, 

 Prof. Tait. Since those days the kinetic theory had 

 received what might be called ocular demonstration 

 through Perrin's investigation of the Brownian move- 

 ments, which exhibited the buffeting of visible bodies 

 by the blows of the molecules. Much had come to be 

 known regarding the probable structure of^the atom. 

 There had been substantial advances in the study of 

 specific heats of gases and of their absorption and 

 emission of heat in the form of infra-red rays. But 

 the difficulty referred to by Tait of reconciling the 

 known facts about specific heat with the theory of the 

 equipartition of energy, as developed by Maxwell and 

 Boltzmann, still remained, and had led to various 

 applications or extensions of Planck's quantum 

 theory, not only to the vibrations of gaseous mole- 

 cules, but also to their rotations. 



Some of these applications of the quantum theory 

 appeared to the lecturer to be highly artificial, and 

 also unnecessary. He proceeded to discuss the corre- 

 spondence between the observed values of the specific 

 lieats and those that might be expected by applying 

 ■ordinary dynamics to the translations and rotations 

 of the molecules of a gas, and pointed out that the 

 results presented a consistent scheme, which had, 

 however, to be supplemented by taking account of 

 the energy of vibration, especially at high tempera- 

 tures. Vibratory energy became developed in a 

 manner which was clearly not consistent w,ith the 

 principle of equipartition. It was now known that in 

 all except monatomic gases the specific heat became 

 notably increased at high temperatures, when the 

 vibrations within the molecules began to be an im- 

 portant part of the whole energy. The experimental 

 facts as to this increase were no doubt well expressed 

 bv means of Planck's quantum formula, but the type 

 of curve which it gave was one that was found in 

 other departments of physics. It was therefore open 

 to question whether, if the nature of the constraints 

 were understood, the development of vibratory energy 

 in the molecules might not be interpreted in terms of 

 other ideas than those of quanta, and without dis- 

 turbing the old-fashioned principles of Newtonian 

 dynamics. 



University and Educational Intelligence. 



Birmingham. — In common with other universities, 

 that of Birmingham has been overcrowded with 

 students during the past session, and, in order that 

 the necessarv arrangements may be made to accom- 

 modate the maximum number for the ensuing year, 

 public notice has been given that intending students 

 should make application for entry not later than June 30. 

 Already temporgry buildings are being erected to cope 

 with the certain increase in number of second-year 

 students. The problem of adapting the number to 

 be admitted to the available accommodation is un- 

 doubtedly difficult, but any method of restriction 

 adopted will be devised with the object of securing 

 admission to the fittest. 



Cambridge. — Announcement is made in the Times 



that the directors of the Commercial Union Assurance 



Co. have allotted the sum of 165,000?. for a building 



-of biochemistry, on a site provided by the University, 



NO. 2641, VOL. 105] 



for the provision of adequate incomes for tne pro- 

 fessor and his staff and for the endowment of re- 

 search. 



Liverpool. — At a meeting of the Senate of the 

 University held on June 2 the following resolution 

 was passed: "'The Senate records with profound 

 regret the death of Prof. Leonard Doncaster, F.R.S., 

 Derby professor of zoology in the University. But a 

 short time in Liverpool, Prof. Doncaster had taken a 

 prominent place in the University, serving on the 

 University Council as representative of his faculty, 

 and had added to the reputation of the University 

 by his contributions to science, and notably bv his 

 text-book upon cytology, published within the' last few- 

 weeks. As colleague and friend he will be mourned 

 by all members of the University. To Mrs. Don- 

 caster and the members of his family the Senate 

 would offer its most sincere sympathy." 



The Ramsay Memorial Trustees will proceed to 

 the election of not more than three fellows at the end 

 of this month. Applications must be received not 

 later than June 15. Application forms, containing full 

 particulars of the award, can be obtained from the 

 Organising Secretary of the Ramsay Memorial Fund, 

 University College, London. The "fellowships are of 

 the value of 300/. a year each, and tenable for two 

 years. They are for the advancement of chemical 

 research. 



The annual vacation course in Snowdonia for field- 

 work in geography, geology, botany, map-making, 

 and regional survey methods is being held under the 

 auspices of the Geographical Association on August 7- 

 21, with Llanberis as a centre. Particulars of the 

 arrangements may be obtained by sending a stamped 

 addressed envelope to Mr. H. Valentine Davis, 

 " Noddfa," Wistaston, Crewe. The course is primarily 

 intended for teachers of geography in public and other 

 secondary schools. 



Lord Ernle presided at a meeting held last week 

 at Chelsea House. Cadogan Square, to establish the 

 training of women as skilled scientific cultivators on 

 a national basis. In recognition of the magnificent 

 work achieved, especially during the war, by Swanley 

 Horticultural College in increasing every class of 

 home-grown foods, and also in food preservation, the 

 Ministry of Agriculture proposes to allot a Treasury 

 grant of io,oooZ. for the re-equipment and further 

 development of this unique training college, provided 

 the public contributes an equal sum. Never has the 

 national need for scientific food production on one 

 hand, and for reinunerative and healthy employment 

 for educated women on the other, been greater. 

 Swanlev has full capacities for carrying out both these 

 works of national importance once the ravages of five 

 years of war-shortages have been repaired, and the 

 urgently needed new laboratories, lecture-rooms, 

 library, and students' hostels have been erected and 

 equipped. The great demand for women workers in 

 agriculture and horticulture is proved by the fact that 

 the applications from employers for Swanley students 

 rose from 130 in ^014 to 648 in 1918. Prof. 

 Keeble, of Oxford University, pointed out that the 

 future cultivation of England would become more and 

 more intensive, and that this intensive cultivation is 

 now of the greatest national value, significance, and 

 economic justification. Plans for the new science 

 buildings at Swanley are now ready and the site is 

 selected. It only remains for the public to provide the 

 To,oooL required to secure the Treasury grant for this 

 urgent work of national utility. The appeal recently 

 issued is signed by Lord Ernie, late President of the 

 Board jDf Agriculture and Fisheries ; Lord Lambournr, 



