[ 528 J 
L. Plan of a Combination of Atoms to have the Properties 
of Polonium or Radium. By Lord Krryin *, 
oi. f hiss properties to be explained are : 
(1) To store a large finite amount of energy in a 
combination having very narrow stability. 
(2) To expend this energy in shooting off with 
very great velocity, vitreously and resinously 
electrified particles. 
§ 2. In the title of the present communication, Polonium 
means a substance which shoots off vitreously electrified 
particles abundantly and with very great velocities; but 
few or no resinously electrified particles. Radium means a 
substance that shoots off in extraordinary abundance both 
vitreously and resinously electrified particles. From the 
kinetic theory of gases, it seems certain that every kind of 
matter has some radioactivity : that is to say, shoots off both 
vitreously and resinously electrified particles. Hence it is 
only in their extraordinarily great abundance and _ great 
velocities of shooting, that Polonium and Radium differ from 
ordinary matter. 
§ 3. In the present communication I use the word electrion 
to signify an atom of resinous electricity, according to a 
suggestion given in a communication to ‘ Nature,’ May 27, 
1897: and 1 use the suggestions regarding atoms of pon- 
derable matter and electrions, which I first proposed in an 
article under the title “ Aepinus Atomized ” + in the jubilee 
volume, presented to Professor Boscha in November 1901. 
§ 4. A plan for molecular structure of Polonium is repre- 
sented in fig. 1, and may be shortly described as two void 
atoms held together against their mutual repulsion by a bond 
consisting of one electrion. A plan of molecular structure 
for emission of the § rays of Radium is represented in fig. 2 
and may be shortly described as two electrions held together 
against their mutual repulsion by a bond consisting of one 
void atom. 
§ 5. In fig. 1 the quantity of vitreous electricity belonging 
to each of the void atoms is four times the quantity of resinous 
electricity, e, belonging to an electrion. The quantity of 
vitreous electricity belonging to the single yoid atom of 
fig. 2 1s 4é. 
* Communicated by the Author. 
t Reproduced Phil. Mag. for March 1902, and Appendix E of my 
recently published volume of Baltimore Lectures, This article will be 
referred to in the text as “ Aep.” for brevity. 
