W. A. Norton—Theories of Heat. 187 
spectrum vibrates at the astonishing rate of 458 millions of mil- 
lion times per second. Thus in the supposed heat motion the 
vibration is six thousand million times more rapid than in the 
most acute audible musical sound. It is true the disproportion 
between the quantities of matter in vibration in the two cases 
may be very great, but it does not follow that the rate of 
vibration should augment in the same proportion. The case 
1s not analogous to that of vibrating strings of diverse lengths. 
he comparative rapidity of movement in the two cases must 
depend on the comparative intensities of the accelerating forces, 
between the surfaces of the two molecules cannot then, in gen- 
eral, be materially different from that between their constituent 
atoms. It should be less rather than greater. As to the dis- 
& 
ps) 
02) 
So 
om 
Rn 
os 
= 
S 
© 
ca) 
ive 
jee 
= 
aa 
= 
14°) 
tae 
ee) 
a. 
fom 
2 
- 
a 
® 
Qu 
me 
2) 
5 
§ 
en 
between the molecules cannot be materially different, fro 
i 1; if, in fact, the ation 
‘quid form be not that of atoms simply, instead of compound 
molecules, 
