large/12904/worldswithinworlds_v1-3_1904_librivox_64kb_mp3/worldswithinworlds_01_asimov_64kb_74
large/12904/worldswithinworlds_v1-3_1904_librivox_64kb_mp3/worldswithinworlds_01_asimov_64kb
English
12904
He called the unit an "electron". HE CALLED THE UNIT AN ELECTRON
 When that happened a given quantity of electricity would liberate only one-half, or only one-third, the usual number of atoms. (Thus, 18 units of electricity would liberate 18 atoms if distributed 1 to an atom; only 9 atoms if distributed 2 to an atom; and only 6 atoms if distributed 3 to an atom.) It was understood at the time that electricity existed in two varieties, which were called positive and negative. It appeared that if an atom attached a positive unit of electricity to itself it would be pulled in one direction through the solution by the voltage. If it attached a negative unit of electricity to itself it would be pulled in the other direction. [Illustration: _Michael Faraday_] The units of electricity were a great deal more difficult to study than the atomic units of matter, and throughout the 19th century they remained elusive. In 1891, though, the Irish physicist George Johnstone Stoney (1826-1911) suggested that the supposed unit of electricity be given a name at least. D A GIVEN QUANTITY OF ELECTRICITY WOULD LIBERATE ONLY ONE HALF OR ONLY ONE THIRD THE USUAL NUMBER OF ATOMS THUS EIGHTEEN UNITS OF ELECTRICITY WOULD LIBERATE EIGHTEEN ATOMS IF DISTRIBUTED ONE TO AN ATOM ONLY NINE ATOMS IF DISTRIBUTED TWO TO AN ATOM AND ONLY SIX ATOMS IF DISTRIBUTED THREE TO AN ATOM IT WAS UNDERSTOOD AT THE TIME THAT ELECTRICITY EXISTED IN TWO VARIETIES WHICH WERE CALLED POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE IT APPEARED THAT IF AN ATOM ATTACHED A POSITIVE UNIT OF ELECTRICITY TO ITSELF IT WOULD BE PULLED IN ONE DIRECTION THROUGH THE SOLUTION BY THE VOLTAGE IF IT ATTACHED A NEGATIVE UNIT OF ELECTRICITY TO ITSELF IT WOULD BE PULLED IN THE OTHER DIRECTION THE UNITS OF ELECTRICITY WERE A GREAT DEAL MORE DIFFICULT TO STUDY THAN THE ATOMIC UNITS OF MATTER AND THROUGHOUT THE NINETEENTH CENTURY THEY REMAINED ELUSIVE IN EIGHTEEN NINETY ONE THOUGH THE IRISH PHYSICIST GEORGE JOHNSTONE STONEY EIGHTEEN TWENTY SIX NINETEEN ELEVEN SUGGESTED THAT THE SUPPOSED UNIT OF ELECTRICITY BE GIVEN A NAME AT LEAST
large/12904/worldswithinworlds_v1-3_1904_librivox_64kb_mp3/worldswithinworlds_01_asimov_64kb
file
download/librilight/large/12904/worldswithinworlds_v1-3_1904_librivox_64kb_mp3/worldswithinworlds_01_asimov_64kb.flac