The Luminiferous Ether Volume 1-2; (I) Its Relation to the Electron and to a Universal Interstellar Medium (II) Its Relation to the Atom

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated.1919 Excerpt: ... THE LUMINIFEROUS ETHER: (II) ITS RELATION TO THE ATOM The particles of ether may be produced out of the aura by some modification, perhaps involving a virtual condensation of the aura; but the process has not reached any final limit, for the ether-particles remain highly elastic, and if there is a shell of ether around each atom, it is compressible since the density of the bound ether in matter varies. It may be admitted that we do not know just what ethereal density means, and that it is probably a concentration of some electrical property. Just as spongy platinum, by the powerful attraction of its atoms and the large surfaces of its porosities, condenses gases in its pores, and thus by its presence has the same effect as an increase of pressure and favors chemical union of certain gases where this union is facilitated by pressure;--so the heavier atoms condense the so-called ether in the interatomic spaces, and this is done so nearly in proportion to the atomic weight that it is possible to predict the refractive index with approximation from the known atomic constitution of a substance in unit volume, though more closely from the electric properties. It is indifferent whether different atoms are chemically united or merely mixed, as far as refractive properties are concerned. Hence the ability to condense ether resides directly in the atoms. The denser bound ether exerts greater electric inductance on the vibrating ether which traverses it and thus retards the passage of light. Though readily thrust aside, the bound ether particles can not be dispelled by other particles of their own order of magnitude without suffering some oscillatory disturbance; and this oscillation of the bound ether-particle is itself electro-magnetic and reacts on the electr...