264 Researches in the Theory and Calculus of Operations. 



are the nodes and o the venter of the entire wave ab of force ; 

 that is, of the same pair of opposing forces which, if the rod 

 had not "been struck, would have destroyed each other in 

 the momentary maintenance of the substance constituting 

 the rod. If, however, the end b of,the rod be placed against 

 an immovably fixed solid body, and then struck forcibly at 

 a, portions of the metal at both ends will be compressed 

 towards the middle, forming thus new nodes and minor 

 waves of force out of the primitive single wave. Now ac- 

 cording to this view, each full wave of tension or force is 

 identical with the hitherto so-called atom : instead of being 

 insecable, the atom is now dichotomised or split into halves, 

 a positive and a negative moiety mutually complementary 

 to equilibrium, and constituting the opposite phases of a 

 full wave. 



A series of suspended balls A to F are first in contact 

 and at rest. A is detached and let fall by its own weight 

 against B : B, C, D, E, remain quiet, but F moves as far 

 from E as A was removed from B ; after which, A and F 

 return to their first position, and equilibrium is restored to 

 the system. Here the impingement of A produces the suc- 

 cessive destruction of the forces of the righthand radii, 

 simultaneously accompanied by the liberation of the forces 

 of the lefthand radii, of the balls to the end of the series. 

 Each ball fulfils the function of an atom; is actually an 

 immanent spherical wave of force, its nodes at the surfaces 

 its venter at the centre. The emanating force is null at the 

 venter, and increases to its maximum value at the nodes, 

 which are the points of transmission of the force from atom 

 to atom. Were A forcibly struck against B, the whole rank 

 of balls would move in space. Were F firmly held against 

 the row, and A rubbed sufficiently hard against B, heat 

 would be evolved by the compression, the liberated force 

 of heat consisting of entire spherical waves of force. Were 

 all but A fixed in place, and A gently rubbed against B 



