The Connection between Chemical and Physical Phenomena

On the preceding pages it was shown that the movement of molecules can produce physical phenomena. Thus sound comes about through the oscillation of the molecules in solid, liquid or gaseous objects, and it continues in these substances until it reaches our ear. And heat and light are nothing other than an extremely rapid oscillation of molecules that continues through the world ether until it reaches us. On the other hand, chemical phenomena are produced by the movement of atoms in such a way that the atoms separate from one another in order to come together immediately as molecules in another grouping, according to their mutual powers of attraction. It is easy to understand that the atoms within the molecules are not at rest, but that they in turn are in constant movement. If it be permitted to compare these infinitely tiny components of all substances with the heavenly objects that almost surpass our thinking power, the movement that is present everywhere in space would give us a more comprehensible example. For then we could compare the fixed stars, the firmament's suns, with the molecules and the planets that go around their suns with the atoms. The atoms not only participate in the movement of the molecules; rather they themselves move in a way that is perhaps also complicated. Whatever the movement of the atoms within the molecules may be like, it is clear that their holding together must be seen as due only to their mutual attraction. However, this attraction is decreased by the molecules' very intense oscillations, which is why most chemical transfers only occur at high temperatures. And more: when the temperature is very high, i.e. when the intensity of the molecules' oscillation becomes very great, the mutual attraction of the atoms in the molecules ceases entirely. Consequently, if the temperature is high enough, every compounded object must disintegrate into its elementary components solely because of the heat. Since from the start the mutual attraction of the atoms differs greatly in the various compounded objects, the temperature at which the various compounds separate into their elements must also vary greatly. Thus e.g. gold chloride disintegrates into chlorine and gold already at about 250 , whereas˚water separates into hydrogen and oxygen only at about 3000. But in any case, above a ˚ certain temperature, which we can assume to be between 3000 and 4000 , no chemical˚compound is …