A Fourth State of Matter | Nature

A Fourth State of Matter | Nature

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ABSTRACT IN Mr. Crookes' communication on this subject (NATURE, vol. xxii. p. 153) occurs the sentence, “An isolated molecule is an inconceivable entity.” This proposition would appear to me to be questionable. For if we cannot conceive an isolated molecule, how are we to conceive of two (or more) molecules, _i.e._, conceive of matter at all? For the conception of two molecules involves the isolation of each in the mind, otherwise surely the two would be mentally blended into one. It is further said of a molecule, “Solid it cannot be.” May not the external qualities ordinarily attributed to a “solid” be said to be those of a body possessing a certain amount of rigidity (_i.e._, whose parts resist displacement) combined with a certain elasticity? Would not these be substantially the properties of a single vortex molecule, according to those who have investigated this subject? For it appears that such a molecule would be (perfectly) elastic, and inseparable into parts. At the same time it would seem that there would be nothing to prevent it from being harder or more rigid than any large scale solid (built up of such molecules?) with which we are acquainted. Access through your institution Buy or subscribe This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution ACCESS OPTIONS Access through your institution Subscribe to this journal Receive 51 print issues and online access $199.00 per year only $3.90 per issue Learn more Buy this article * Purchase on SpringerLink * Instant access to full article PDF Buy now Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout ADDITIONAL ACCESS OPTIONS: * Log in * Learn about institutional subscriptions * Read our FAQs * Contact customer support AUTHOR INFORMATION AUTHORS AND AFFILIATIONS * London S. TOLVER PRESTON Authors * S. TOLVER PRESTON View author publications You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar RIGHTS AND PERMISSIONS Reprints and permissions ABOUT THIS ARTICLE CITE THIS ARTICLE PRESTON, S. A Fourth State of Matter. _Nature_ 22, 192 (1880). https://doi.org/10.1038/022192b0 Download citation * Issue Date: 01 July 1880 * DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/022192b0 SHARE THIS ARTICLE Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content: Get shareable link Sorry, a shareable link is not currently available for this article. Copy to clipboard Provided by the Springer Nature SharedIt content-sharing initiative

ABSTRACT IN Mr. Crookes' communication on this subject (NATURE, vol. xxii. p. 153) occurs the sentence, “An isolated molecule is an inconceivable entity.” This proposition would appear


to me to be questionable. For if we cannot conceive an isolated molecule, how are we to conceive of two (or more) molecules, _i.e._, conceive of matter at all? For the conception of two


molecules involves the isolation of each in the mind, otherwise surely the two would be mentally blended into one. It is further said of a molecule, “Solid it cannot be.” May not the


external qualities ordinarily attributed to a “solid” be said to be those of a body possessing a certain amount of rigidity (_i.e._, whose parts resist displacement) combined with a certain


elasticity? Would not these be substantially the properties of a single vortex molecule, according to those who have investigated this subject? For it appears that such a molecule would be


(perfectly) elastic, and inseparable into parts. At the same time it would seem that there would be nothing to prevent it from being harder or more rigid than any large scale solid (built up


of such molecules?) with which we are acquainted. Access through your institution Buy or subscribe This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution ACCESS OPTIONS


Access through your institution Subscribe to this journal Receive 51 print issues and online access $199.00 per year only $3.90 per issue Learn more Buy this article * Purchase on


SpringerLink * Instant access to full article PDF Buy now Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout ADDITIONAL ACCESS OPTIONS: * Log in * Learn about


institutional subscriptions * Read our FAQs * Contact customer support AUTHOR INFORMATION AUTHORS AND AFFILIATIONS * London S. TOLVER PRESTON Authors * S. TOLVER PRESTON View author


publications You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar RIGHTS AND PERMISSIONS Reprints and permissions ABOUT THIS ARTICLE CITE THIS ARTICLE PRESTON, S. A Fourth State of


Matter. _Nature_ 22, 192 (1880). https://doi.org/10.1038/022192b0 Download citation * Issue Date: 01 July 1880 * DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/022192b0 SHARE THIS ARTICLE Anyone you share the


following link with will be able to read this content: Get shareable link Sorry, a shareable link is not currently available for this article. Copy to clipboard Provided by the Springer


Nature SharedIt content-sharing initiative