﻿Multiple 
  Atomic 
  Disintegration. 
  739 
  

  

  the 
  separate 
  factors, 
  and 
  thns 
  can 
  be 
  forced 
  into 
  synchronous 
  

   motion. 
  This 
  oscillation-region 
  involves 
  also 
  the 
  so-called 
  

   free 
  oscillation-period 
  ; 
  if 
  we 
  determine 
  (Ox 
  correspondingly, 
  

   resonance 
  will 
  arise 
  between 
  the 
  rotation 
  and 
  the 
  oscillation, 
  

   and 
  thereby 
  result 
  the 
  strongest 
  tendency 
  to 
  oscillate. 
  This 
  

   shows 
  us 
  the 
  manner, 
  in 
  which, 
  even 
  when 
  large 
  gyrostatic 
  

   moments 
  exist, 
  short 
  periods 
  of 
  oscillation 
  may 
  be 
  obtained, 
  

   namely, 
  by 
  compensating 
  the 
  inertia 
  by 
  simple 
  stiffening 
  

   of 
  the 
  control-spring 
  (Fr), 
  because 
  in 
  the 
  case 
  of 
  resonance 
  

   the 
  greatest 
  possible 
  amplitude 
  of 
  oscillation 
  is 
  the 
  resultant 
  

   of 
  the 
  directing 
  and 
  deflecting 
  forces' 
  combined 
  action 
  ; 
  

   the 
  ratio 
  (Oxjcan 
  is 
  here 
  to 
  be 
  taken 
  accordingly 
  large. 
  By 
  

   means 
  of 
  suitable 
  transformations 
  (electromagnetic 
  syn- 
  

   chronous 
  motors 
  or 
  the 
  like) 
  the 
  ratio 
  (Oyjwx 
  may 
  then 
  be 
  

   forced 
  to 
  an 
  equally 
  constant 
  magnitude 
  as 
  that 
  of 
  the 
  once- 
  

   Ibr-all 
  determined 
  magnitudes 
  of 
  mass 
  and 
  moment 
  of 
  inertia 
  

   of 
  the 
  regarding 
  parts 
  of 
  the 
  constructed 
  instrument. 
  

  

  For 
  practical 
  needs 
  we 
  mightemploy 
  two 
  or 
  more 
  gyrostats 
  

   of 
  smaller 
  construction, 
  oscillating 
  in 
  one 
  frame 
  together 
  

   round 
  a 
  common 
  axis 
  y, 
  rather 
  than 
  a 
  single 
  larger 
  gyrostat, 
  

   so 
  as 
  to 
  combine 
  two 
  or 
  more 
  such 
  systems 
  with 
  axes 
  y, 
  

   shifted 
  round 
  through 
  equivalent 
  angles 
  with 
  respect 
  to 
  one 
  

   another, 
  their 
  bearings 
  either 
  over 
  one 
  another 
  in 
  a 
  single 
  

   framework, 
  rotating 
  about 
  the 
  vertical 
  .i', 
  or 
  again 
  each 
  in 
  a 
  

   forked 
  bearing 
  rotating 
  individually, 
  the 
  synchronous 
  motions 
  

   of 
  all 
  the 
  bearings 
  maintained 
  with 
  a 
  constant 
  phase-difference 
  

   between 
  them 
  in 
  the 
  same 
  manner 
  as 
  in 
  the 
  control 
  of 
  

   electrical 
  clocks, 
  equally 
  at 
  distant 
  points 
  of 
  the 
  ship, 
  where- 
  

   ever 
  these 
  synchronously-acting 
  instruments 
  may 
  be 
  installed, 
  

   — 
  whilst 
  their 
  paths 
  of 
  connexion 
  count 
  amongst 
  the 
  numerous 
  

   nervous 
  fibres 
  of 
  that 
  gigantic 
  creature, 
  the 
  modern 
  ocean- 
  

   runner. 
  

  

  Ilohenwaldau, 
  near 
  Stuttg'art. 
  

  

  February 
  13, 
  J 
  908. 
  I 
  \ 
  

  

  LXXVI. 
  Multiple 
  Atomic 
  Disintegration. 
  A 
  Suggestion 
  in 
  

   Radioactive 
  Theory. 
  By 
  Frederick 
  Soddy, 
  M.A.* 
  

  

  THE 
  cause 
  of 
  atomic 
  disintegration 
  remains 
  unknown. 
  It 
  

   is 
  difficult 
  to 
  construct 
  any 
  model 
  of 
  the 
  disintegrating 
  

   mechanism, 
  chiefly 
  on 
  account 
  of 
  certain 
  features 
  in 
  connexion 
  

   with 
  the 
  process. 
  In 
  particular 
  may 
  be 
  mentioned 
  the 
  fact 
  

   that 
  the 
  period 
  of 
  average 
  life 
  of 
  the 
  atoms 
  disintegrating 
  is 
  

   the 
  same 
  whether 
  newly 
  formed 
  atoms 
  or 
  those 
  which 
  have 
  

  

  * 
  Communicated 
  by 
  the 
  Author. 
  

  

  