Prof. Norton on Molecular Physics. 101 



the setter is detached or expelled from the atmosphere on the 

 positive side, and a corresponding amount absorbed into it on the 

 negative side, Accordingly, when a molecule is being polarized or 

 when its polarization is increasing, there is a flow of electric (Ether 

 toward its negative side, and away from its positive side. On the 

 other hand, when a polarization once acquired is falling off, there is 

 a flow, or an electric current, in the opposite direction. To make this 

 more evident, let S (fig. 6) be a pjg $ 



surface receiving a charge of po- 

 sitive electricity, and a, b, c, &c. 

 a series of particles of a dielectric 

 medium. The repulsion of the 

 positive charge on S will polarize 

 the nearer side of a negatively, 

 and the further side positively ; but the same force will urge the 

 interstitial aether toward a, and the augmented attraction of the 

 negative side of a will add a certain portion of it to the atmo- 

 sphere of a. At the same time the excess of electric aether accu- 

 mulated on the further side of a will act repulsively upon the 

 upper portion of its atmosphere and expel a certain portion of 

 it. It will also urge toward b the interstitial electric aether 

 between a and b, and polarize b just as S has polarized a. The 

 chain of particles will therefore become polarized in succession ; 

 and at the same time there will be an electric movement, a dis- 

 charge from one to another. To take a more complete view of 

 the matter, the molecular polarization resulting from the elec- 

 tricity received by any single point S will not be confined to 

 the normal line a, b, c, but will extend, though with diminished 

 intensity, along lines radiating outward from S. A similar 

 remark may be made of the flow of electricity that accompanies 

 the polarization. 



If we take account of the entire spherical surface S, and sup- 

 pose it to be surrounded by a dielectric medium, as the air, ex- 

 tending to an indefinite distance, each new addition to its positive 

 charge will develope a wave of increasing molecular polarization, 

 which will be propagated in all directions outward through the 

 surrounding medium. This wave, if it may be so termed, will be 

 accompanied by a spherical electric "wave of translation " that 

 will spread indefinitely through the same medium. This latter 

 wave will consist of a series of discharges from one spherical 

 layer of particles to the next, while the former will consist of 

 propagated movements confined to the atmospheres of the parti- 

 cles — these movements being produced by the repulsive action 

 of the electric aether accumulating on the further sides of the 

 particles, transmitted primarily through the universal aether. The 

 quantity of electricity that moves forward from one layer of par- 



