262 THE ORIGIN OF LIFE 



Maxwell's investigation ^ on the subject of the kinetic 

 theory are independent of the duration of an 

 encounter and also of the law of force (which in 

 a previous paper was assumed to be the inverse 

 fifth for convenience) provided the law of force is 

 consistent with the conservation of energy. Max- 

 well's theory will apply to bodies composed of the 

 system of molecules we have described. 



He admits, it is true, that in following the steps, 

 of the investigation, as given by Boltzmann or 

 by Watson, it is difficult, if not impossible, to 

 see when the stipulation about the shortness and 

 the isolation of encounters is made use of. "We 

 may almost say that it is introduced rather for 

 the sake of enabling the reader to form a more 

 definite mental image of the material system than 

 as a condition of the demonstration." 



It will be seen that the formation of these 

 molecular groups is greatly facilitated by the 

 presence of a third substance of high specific 

 inductive capacity. This may frequently be water 

 vapour, or some other vapour, or when the 

 luminosity is due to a discharge of electricity in 

 ^ vacuo, the walls containing the gas through which 

 the discharge is sent. 



The number of these colliding systems is increased 

 when the gas becomes luminous, and this can doubt- 



1 " On Boltzmann's Theory on the Average Distribution of 

 Energy in a System of Material Points." Collected Works 

 Vol. II. 



