CHAPTEK VI. 



DEFINITE QUANTITATIVE RELATIONS IN MATTER. 



WE have seen that as the qualitative relations of 

 matter develop into increased definiteness they 

 necessarily involve quantitative aspects also, though this 

 has appeared thus far only in the form of indefinite mul- 

 tiplicity. We have now to trace this quantitative aspect 

 into its more precise forms. 



The elements of which we have just traced the origin 

 constitute in large measure the subject-matter of what is 

 known as modern chemistry. It was largely in the inter- 

 ests of chemistry that the atomic theory was revived in 

 modern times; and it is directly in the field of chemis- 

 try that the more elaborate part of the theory in its spe- 

 cially modern character, and particularly in its quantita- 

 tive aspects, has been developed. The " atomic weights " 

 of the several elements have been ascertained with at 

 least the appearance of great precision. 



Nor is there any sufficient reason to call in question 

 the substantial accuracy of these results, so far as they are 

 understood merely as the expression of the quantitative 

 relations necessarily involved in matter. And, as we 

 have already mentioned, the more advanced chemists 

 themselves regard the "atom" as hypothetical, and even 

 look to an entire change of view respecting the so-called 

 "elements. " 



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