Researches in Vortex Motion. 



337 



The non-metals belong io aggregates having an odd number of the 

 same, i.e., the outer rotational motion is in the same direction as that at 

 the centre. 



In the even series of elements (Series 4, 6, 8) the vortex lines lie 

 between the stream lines and the meridians or, as we may express it, the 

 stream lines lie farthest out. 



In the metals of the odd series the stream lines lie betiveen the vortex 

 lines and meridians, or the vortex lines are the outermost. 



In the non-metals of the odd series the vortex lines lie between the 

 stream lines and the meridians, or the stream lines outermost. 



The metals of high fusibility have their stream and vortex lines nearly 

 co-incident. The alkalis have their outer layer thin, the calcium group 

 thicker, and so on. 



Having fixed their general position, we may now compare witl 

 the curve giving the atomic volumes. When this is done it is found 

 that the atomic volume marches with the moment of angular mo- 

 mentum of the aggregates. In other words — 



The moment of momentum due to the gyrostatic effect rises and falls 

 with the volume of the atom. 



All that is yet known respecting the stability of vortex rings leads 

 to the conviction that it is not open to us to explain the various 

 densities of matter as we know it by different densities in the 

 material composing the vortex atoms themselves. We must suppose 

 the matter of all atoms to be the same material as the ether itself. 

 The masses must therefore be proportional to the volumes. It follows 

 that atomic volumes, as ordinarily understood, must depend on the 

 spaces occupied in solid bodies by their atoms. Now a ring will 

 clearly take up more space than a sphere of the same volume, and we 

 ought to expect high atomic volumes to go with large aperture rings. 

 Combining this with the iast result, it would follow that — 



Moment of momentum rises and falls with the equatorial diameter of 

 the ring atom, 



■^hich is a highly probable result. 



