﻿Electron Theory of Optical Properties of Metals. 655 



greater than the kinetic energy of the outer electron ; and it 

 seems hardly possible to suppose a system with so much 

 energy to be essentially affected by the passage of the outer 

 electron from one stationary circle to the next ; for it must be 

 kept in mind that in the passage of the electron from r = 2 

 to t = 3 the inner system should take up the whole energy 

 involved in the production of the magnetic field of 5 

 magnetons. 



As, however, the assumption of a mutual connexion 

 between the inner core and the outer electron seems essential 

 for the explanation of the correction term of the Balmer 

 formula through magnetic influences as proposed by Dr. 

 Stanley Allen, it seems that we shall have to seek another 

 explanation for these deviations. 



Christiania, Feb. 8, 1915. 



LXX. On the Electron llieoryofthe Optical Properties of 

 Metals. — I. By &. H. Livens *. 



1. JNTRODUCTION— -The explanation of the phenomena 

 associated with electrical conduction in metals based 

 on the electron theory, originated by Drude and Lorentz |, 

 was generalized for application to rapidly alternating fields 

 such as those associated with radiation first by J. J. Thom- 

 son t, and then subsequently in greater detail by Jeans § 

 and H. A. Wilson ||. The general method of attack adopted 

 by the last two authors differs essentially from the more 

 direct methods employed by Drude and Lorentz and in the 

 hands of Wilson, who alone works it right through on the 

 statistical basis, it leads to formulas which differ essentially 

 from those obtained by Lorentz, whose results, in the opinion 

 of the present writer, represent the only complete formulas 

 to be obtained from the theory as usually specified. In a 

 recent paper on the electron theory of metallic conduction, 

 exception was taken to the deductions of the formula for 

 the electrical conductivity put forward by Thomson and 

 Wilson. A correction of considerable importance was made 

 in Wilson's detailed analysis which renders the final formula 

 to be obtained from it more consistent with Lorentz's original 

 results. In the present paper it was intended to carry out a 

 promise given in my former paper and to extend this same 



* Communicated by the Author. 



t Vide Lorentz, 'The Theory of Electrons. 1 



X Phil. Mag. Auo-. 1907. 



§ Phil. Mag-. June & July, 1909. 



|| Phil. Mag. Nov. 1910." 



