﻿314 Dr. A. C. Crehore on the 



The spaces between the atoms on this theory are vast 

 compared with the total volume of the atoms themselves, 

 but, as before stated, this gives a somewhat f.dse conception 

 of this atom. The electric and magnetic fields surrounding 

 each and extending to relatively great distances in a sense 

 determine the size of the atom. But, on the other hand, the 

 volume filled by the atoms themseves as above considered is 

 important. If we regard the aether as a continuum with 

 a uniform density everywhere, and consider that the positive 

 and the negative electricity are really portions of it differ- 

 entiated from the rest merely by possessing different energy 

 characteristics in some way not now speciiied, the volume 

 filled by the atoms in a gram gives a definite meaning to the 

 term aether density. The density should be the reciprocal 

 of the volume of the atoms per gram, namely 10 12 , We 

 have just seen that, as far as density is concerned, we can 

 make 10 12 grams of matter out of one cubic centimetre of the 

 aether, assuming the density of the positive electricity to be 

 the same as the rest of the aether. An analogous case would 

 be to think of a large portion of the cosmos filled with .-tars 

 and compare its density regarded as matter with that of the 

 Earth. The filmy structure of the cosmos compared with 

 the Earth w T ould be analogous to that of ordinary matter 

 compared with the aether. This conception is not new, but 

 the very close coincidence of the volume, 10~ 12 cu. cm., of 

 all the atoms in one gram as calculated from this theory with 

 the well-known reciprocal of the number lO 12 , which those 

 who have taken this view of the aether have accepted as the 

 approximate value of its density, is very significant. 



We shall take 10 12 as the value of the aether density, and 

 reversing the process indicated, determine from it the size of 

 the unit positive electricity or positive electron taken as 

 a sphere. It comes out '735 x 10~ 12 cm. radius instead of 

 *86 as above. 



On Mass. 



If there are 6 X 10 23 electrons in every gram of any sub- 

 stance, and the single electron atom is that of hydrogen, 



then the mass of the hydrogen atom is -^ — -7^, =*166 x 10~ 23 

 J * b X 10- 3 



gram. Taking the mass of the electron as '878 x 10" 27 gram, 



the ratio of the masses of the hydrogen atom to that of the 



electron is 1900. The radios of the positive electron as 



above determined is '735 x 10" 12 cm., and a sphere having 



a radius of '593 X 10" 13 cm. has a volume 1/1900 of the 



positive electron. Taking this latter figure as the size of 



