EXPLORING THE ATOM 



deduce the number of molecules in any substance, 

 the force of molecular energy, and the weight of the 

 atom. 



The experiments show further that the total mass 

 of the electron is due to its electric charge. Stated 

 otherwise, the electron it not merely a unit particle 

 of electricity, it is nothing but electricity. It is not 

 matter in the ordinary sense of the word. It is a 

 center of force, a concentration of energy, and may 

 perhaps be thought of as a little whirl in the ether. 

 It carries energy in a perfectly definite quantity, and 

 must be thought of as occupying a definite position 

 in space and having what might be called an atomic 

 structure. 



But the amazing thing is that its mass is found 

 to be about 1700 times smaller than the mass of the 

 hydrogen atom which had hitherto been the smallest 

 thing of which the imagination of men of science had 

 taken cognizance. 



We have already reviewed mystifying rows of 

 figures showing us that the helium atom is trillions 

 of times smaller than the smallest particle visible 

 under the microscope. Yet we know that this helium 

 atom is four times as large as the atom of hydrogen. 

 And now it appears that the electron is 1700 times 

 smaller still. It taxes the imagination to conceive 

 even in the vaguest way the all but infinite littleness 

 of the helium atom; yet to build up the structure of 

 one such atom, judged by standards of mass, would 

 require almost 7000 electrons. 



As regards bulk, the electron is, according to the 

 French physicist, Jean Becquerel, billions of billions 



129 



