NO. I I STRUCTURE OF THE ATOM PARSON 29 



From the results in §§6, 7, we are able to distinguish between two 

 distinct kinds of action for the atoms : 



1. Where an atom combines with others through the magnetic 

 forces due to its separate valence magnetons, no attempt being made 

 to form a group of eight in the atom. This is characteristic of the 

 atoms which have always been classed as " positive" so the term 

 does very well to describe this kind of action ; but it must be made 

 clear that in this sense its connection with positive electricity is only 

 incidental (e. g., when the H atom combines with a CI atom it gives 

 up its single magneton to the latter and is then left with a positive 

 charge, but this does not happen when it combines with another H 

 atom in H 2 , or with a C atom in CH 4 : see below) . 



2. Negative action, where an atom which possesses nearly eight 

 valence magnetons succeeds in making up a group of eight by 

 extracting magnetons from other atoms. 



In the following typical molecules, Ca and H atoms display positive 

 action, and O and CI atoms negative: 



H frCl 



H-H, H-(Cl), H{Oj-H, Ca( , Ca^<, Ca=£o), 

 WW \ H "X C A w 





@@. 



In H-foj-C\^=fo) , however, CI is acting positively. 



The way in which the Cl 2 and 2 molecules have been represented 

 requires explanation. In Cl 2 we have two atoms that contain seven 

 valence magnetons each and are normally monovalent negatively. 

 It is evidently impossible for them both to form groups of eight 

 simultaneously, nor, on account of molecular collisions, would one 

 be likely to form such a group permanently at the expense of the 

 other : we are thus led to think that this group must oscillate between 

 the two atoms. If this occurs, there must be formed, transitorily, a 

 condensed group of fourteen magnetons, which is related to the group 

 of eight very much as the naphthalene molecule is related to that of 

 benzene. If we take a horizontal section through the upper four coils 



nIs 



S I N 



in config. 1 (see §6), we get the diagram ■ ■ ■ - ■ ■ ■ ■. A similar 



N £ 



Slti 



