The Outline of Science 



than a farthing contains an energy equal to eighty million horse- 

 power. A few pounds of matter contain more energy than we 

 could extract from millions of tons of coal. Even in the atoms 

 of hydrogen at a temperature which we could produce in an elec- 

 tric furnace the electrons spin round at a rate of nearly a hundred 

 trillion revolutions a second! 



Every man asks at once: "Will science ever tap this 

 energy?" If it does, no more smoke, no mining, no transit, no 

 hulky fuel. The energy of an atom is of course only liberated 

 when an atom passes from one state to another. The stored up 

 energy is fortunately fast bound by the electrons being held 

 together as has been described. If it were not so "the earth 

 would explode and become a gaseous nebula" ! It is believed that 

 some day we shall be able to release, harness, and utilise atomic 

 energy. "I am of opinion," says Sir William Bragg, "that atom 

 energy will supply our future need. A thousand years may pass 

 before we can harness the atom, or to-morrow might see us with 

 the reins in our hands. That is the peculiarity of Physics re- 

 search and 'accidental' discovery go hand in liand." Half a brick 

 contains as much energy as a small coal-field. The difficulties 

 are tremendous, but, as Sir Oliver Lodge reminds us, there was 

 just as much scepticism at one time about the utilisation of 

 steam or electricity. "Is it to be supposed," he asks, "that there 

 can be no fresh invention, that all the discoveries have been 

 made?" More than one man of science encourages us to hope. 

 Here are some remarkable words written by Professor Soddy, 

 one of the highest authorities on radio-active matter, in our chief 

 scientific weekly (Nature, November 6, 1919) : 



The prospects of the successful accomplishment of 

 artificial transmutation brighten almost daily. The ancients 

 seem to have had something more than an inkling that the 

 accomplishment of transmutation would confer upon men 

 powers hitherto the prerogative of the gods. But now we 

 know definitely that the material aspect of transmutation 



