STRUCTURE OF THE ATOM.

Auckland Star, Volume LV, Issue 166, 15 July 1924, Page 7

STRUCTURE OF THE ATOM.

HNIIMITED STOKES OP ENERGY. In a paper on "Atoms and Isotopes," read before the Institute of Metals, London, Dr. F. W. Aston mentioned that recent investigations had shown that all atoms \frere composed of a primordial substance, the number and arrangement of the particles of that' substance determining the character of the atom. This substance consisted of protons and electrons. The former, with some electrons, formed the central nucleus, while the remaining electrons circulated around the centre like planets round the sun. If one were to construct a scale model of an atom as large as the dome of St. Paul's, the electrons would be little larger than pin-heads, while the ; protons would be practically invisible, , being nothing more than dust particles. To transmute one element to another it was necessary to break up the nucleus of the' atom. This had been done for one or two elements, and if we could transmute hydrogen into helium a prodigious quantity of energy would be liberated. In such a case there would Ibe sufficient energy contained in the i hydrogen in a pint of water to drive 1 the Mauretania across the Atlantic and back at full speed. With such vast storea of energy at our disposal there ; would be no limit to the material