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The Source of Electric Energy. [July, 
molecular components. In the latter case there is a 
frequent interchange. Now the motion of the mass as a 
whole ceases, and is taken up by its molecules, to become 
heat vibration. Now the heat vibrations respond simul- 
taneously to some exterior force, and thus become partly 
converted into mass motion. In like manner the motion of 
the molecule as a whole may be hindered by some exterior 
force, and become a motion of its atomic components. And, 
again, the motions of these components may be made to a<5t 
in concert through some exterior force, and thus yield mole- 
cular motion. The forces producing these changes are the 
same in both cases. They are either impact or are attrac- 
tion and repulsion exerted by distant masses. And the 
conditions may be the same. A pendulum vibrating at its 
normal pitch, if affected by a motive influence discordant to 
this vibration, could not respond to it as a mass. The 
effedt, therefore, must be produced upon its molecules, which 
would gain new motive energy. In like manner, a molecule, 
affedted by molecular motive influences in discord with its 
pitch of vibration, might refuse to respond, the atoms 
responding instead, with the production of what we may 
term an intra-molecular heat. If these molecular influences 
are attractive, they resemble the action of gravity on masses ; 
if they are energies of impact, they resemble the action of 
collision between masses in motion. 
Electrical induction is such a molecular influence, pro- 
ceeding from molecules whose rate of vibration is discordant 
to that of the molecules upon which they act. The conse- 
quence seems to be a production of atomic energy. This 
energy does not necessarily come from the acting molecules, 
but may be a partial transformation of the vibratory energy 
of the affected molecules. Their freedom of movement may 
be curtailed by exterior resistance, and part of their motive 
energy fall back into their substance and become atomic 
energy. It is a case similar to that in which a body is 
thrown upward against gravity, when its rapidly diminishing 
mass motion falls back into its substance, and becomes a 
rapidly increasing molecular vibration. Or it resembles the 
case of a pendulum which comes to rest at one extremity of 
its swing, its motion as a mass having become converted into 
motion of its molecules as independent particles, to be re-con- 
verted into mass motion in its return swing. It is very 
probable that changing conditions of motion similar to this 
last are of constant occurrence in molecular action ; and in 
the case of electrical influence, there may be a force exerted 
upon the molecule restrictive of its mass motion, which thus 
