﻿Gyroscopic llieory of Atoms and Molecules. 315 



the electron, it then appears that the mass of every atom is 

 proportional to the volume of the electricity in that atom, 

 and that both the positive and the negative electricity have 

 the same mass per unit of volume, that is the mass is 

 10 12 grams per cubic centimetre, the value o£ the sether 

 density. 



Beta Particles from Radioactive Substcmces. 



A certain difficulty has arisen in the central nucleus 

 atomic theory in explaining the beta particles from radio- 

 active matter. It seems certain * that the beta particles 

 in radioactive transformations cannot come from a ring 

 whose radius is comparable with 10 ~ 8 cm. For this reason 

 those who advocate the Rutherford atom with electron orbits 

 of a size calculated by Bohr f , are forced to restrict the source 

 of the beta particles to the electrons which emanate from 

 the very inside rings or the nucleus itself. On the author's 

 theory this difficulty vanishes, and any electron may give 

 rise to the beta particle as far as the size of the orbit is 

 concerned, because all orbits in neutral atoms are sufficiently 

 small, bein^ of the order of 10 -12 cm. radius. 



The positions of the electrons outside of the nucleus in 

 the Rutherford atom have been estimated by Bohr by making 

 use of the conception of quanta, and Planck's universal 

 constant " /t." Whatever the explanation of quanta maybe, 

 it is now very generally admitted that they have a real 

 physical existence, and no atomic theory can ignore the fact. 

 It is just as possible on this new theory of the atom as 

 with the central nucleus atom to recognize the quantum of 

 Planck. 



In this paper some of the older features of the corpuscular 

 ring theory are retained, but the whole is modified in certain 

 important particulars. The retained features are, first, that 

 the electrons are within the mass of the positive electricity 

 and are confined approximately to one plane, the enormous 

 frequency of orbital revolution being sufficient cause to 

 restrict them to this plane. Second, the positions in this 

 plane are chiefly determined, as in the old theory, by the 

 electrostatic and magnetic forces, but with these differences. 

 that the forces of repulsion no longer obey the inverse 

 square law on account of the near approach of the electrons 

 to each other, and that the existence of quanta also modifies 

 the equilibrium positions, somewhat changing the radii of 

 the rings in a manner to be described. 



* J. W. Nicholson, Phil. Mag-. April 1914, p. 544. 

 t N. Bohr, Phil. Mao-. September 1013. p. 488. 



