Return to Physics of the Ether

127. The Identity of Physical Processes in their Fundamental Nature. — We have observed that all physical processes are identical in one fundamental respect, in that they all consist in an interchange of motion. The interchange of motion may therefore be said to constitute the simple groundwork or fundamental principle upon which all physical phenomena in their vast variety are based, and in this one circumstance the necessary correlation of all branches of physical science lies apparent. The fundamental principle is itself simple, yet, from its very nature, consistent with the production of phenomena of endless variety. The interchange of motion may be said to form the whole basis of the great principle of conservation, for the very idea of the interchange or transference of motion itself precludes all idea of the possibility of the annihilation of motion; or the only possible method of getting rid of the motion of a mass of matter is by transferring that motion to another mass or masses.

128. We shall now proceed to consider more closely the mode or general principle upon which physical processes effect them- selves, and it will be our endeavour to show that these processes resemble one another in a second fundamental aspect, viz. that all these processes are cyclical, i. e. consist in a transference of motion from the ether through matter to the ether, or consist in a transference of motion from and to the same source; and therefore that all physical processes, however diverse and varied, are identical in this fundamental respect; or that every observed motion whatever came from the ether at one time, and will return to the ether at some subsequent time.

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This theorem may be shown to be a necessary consequence resulting from the fundamental principle of conservation. The normal state of the ether is a state of motion, or the component particles of the ether transfer their motions among themselves, and this motion is of necessity permanently maintained. The ether, therefore, constitutes a source of motion. A mass or molecule of matter, on the other hand, cannot possibly be in motion without continually giving up some of its motion to the surrounding ether, which motion is rapidly carried off to a distance in the form of waves; so that matter cannot possibly remain in motion, unless the motion be renewed by the ether as rapidly as it is being dissipated in the ether, which would constitute a cyclical process. Since, therefore, the motion of matter is being continually dissipated in the ether, the ether constitutes the receptacle of all the motions of matter. The ether therefore must, in accordance with the principle of conservation, be the source of all the motions of matter, for matter cannot evolve motion out of itself. Also, since matter cannot retain its motion, but must be always dependent on the ether for any supply of motion, matter therefore cannot in any case constitute a source of motion. The ether therefore constitutes both the source and the receptacle of all the motions of matter, or this would constitute the theorem that all physical processes are cyclical, or consist in a transference of motion from and to the same source, and accordingly that all physical processes are correlated in this fundamental respect.

129. It is obviously not necessary that all motions should come direct from the ether, but an observed motion may have been transmitted through matter since its original derivation from the ether. Thus, for instance, there may exist a store of motion originally developed by the ether in matter, and from this store of motion the observed motion may directly come. The sun, for example, constitutes such a store of motion. Any observed motion of a mass or molecule, therefore, traced backwards in the first instance to the sun, is simply a motion which in its passage from the ether^to the mass or molecule has been transmitted through the sun as an intervening link in the cyclical process, the motion afterwards passing from the mass or molecule to its original source - the ether.

Again: it is quite evident that an observed motion need not pass to the ether direct, but this motion may undergo several transferences through matter first. But it is clear that such a process must have a limit, for any attempt to retain motion in matter, or to prevent the passage of the motion to the ether by transferring the motion from one mass or molecule of matter to another, would only render the passage of the motion to the ether the more rapid, for during the whole process, and more especially at every such interchange of motion between masses and molecules, a portion of the original motion is necessarily

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dissipated in the ether in the form of waves of heat. In tracing, therefore, conversely, a motion backwards, there is a distinct limit to the number of times this motion can have been transferred through matter, for the number of transferences a motion can undergo without complete dissipation must be limited by the original value of the motion. Hence, although a motion, observed at any point of its progress, may have undergone several transferences through matter since its original derivation from the ether, and this motion may in certain cases undergo several such transferences before passing finally to the ether, the process is nevertheless in all cases a cyclical one, or the motion comes from and passes to the ether.

130. We shall now refer to some practical examples illustrative of the above theorem. The main adaptations for the derivation of power may be classed as steam, the utilization of the fall of water, the utilization of winds, and the work of animals. In all these cases the physical processes involved may be shown to be identical in principle, or the processes are cyclical, consisting in the transference of motion from the ether through matter to the ether.

In the case of the steam engine and the animal system, already treated of, the energy derived from the ether in the combustion (oxidation) of the coal and food in the two cases, passes to the ether in the various operations performed, the withdrawal of motion from the ether and its transference to the ether going on simultaneously.

131. The "fall" (approach) of masses ("gravitation") resembles the approach of molecules as regards the physical process involved. When, therefore, the fall of water is utilized for mechanical purposes, the motion developed in the water is derived direct from the ether, and is transmitted by the water through the machinery to the ether (in the form of waves of heat developed in the working parts of the machinery, &c), the process involved being a cyclical one, in which the derivation of motion from and its transference to the ether go on simultaneously.

132. The production of winds may be referred in general to the adjustment of differences of pressure in the atmosphere, these differences of pressure having been brought about by differences or changes of temperature. This adjustment of differences of pressure being directly due to the action of gravity, the motion of the current of air and of the current of water may therefore be brought under the same physical cause, i. e. the direct action of the ether. By the utilization, therefore, of winds for mechanical purposes, the air current forms the convenient mechanical adaptation by which the motion of the ether is transmitted to the machinery, the motion passing in the various operations of the machinery to the ether in a cyclical process.

In regard, therefore, to the four principal means for the deriva-

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tion of power, viz. steam, currents of water, currents of air, and the work of animals, the physical processes involved may be all classed as identical in principle, the processes being cyclical, consisting in the simultaneous withdrawal of motion from and its transference to the ether.

133. The formation of coal was due, as is known, to the action of the sun's rays upon the molecules of carbonic acid, by which the components of the compound molecules were separated, the carbon being deposited in the vegetation, becoming eventually the food of the animal and the fuel of the steam engine. At the separation of the molecules, therefore, by which the carbon was deposited, the work was done by the ether waves (sun's rays) on the ether, or the amount of motion lost by these waves was equal to the amount of motion imparted to the ether in the process of separating the molecules, and in which the work of separation consisted. In this case, however, the ether could not be said to be, at the time, the source of the motion which separated the molecules, since at the time of separation the ether was only the transmitter of that motion from the sun; and therefore this case is in one respect different from the reverse case of the approach of the molecules (combustion), when the ether is, at the time, the source of the motion of approach of the molecules, or the derivation of motion from and its transference to the ether go on simultaneously. The ether was, nevertheless, the source of the motion which separated the molecules, or the process formed a cyclical one of the special character already treated of, i.e. a cyclical process in which the motion derived from the ether has, in its passage to the molecule, been accumulated in the interval as a store of motion in matter; or the ether, as the original source of the sun's heat, was thereby the source of the ray which separated the molecules, the separation of the carbon molecules at the production of coal having therefore formed part of a cyclical process, in which the development of the sun's heat formed an intervening link.

Precisely the same considerations apply to the case of the elevation (separation from the earth) of the molecules of water, under the action of the sun's rays, to form eventually water currents (streams); and to the case of the elevation of the molecules of air under the action of the sun, to form eventually air currents (winds); or the process involved in the elevation 01 the molecules in the two cases is a cyclical process, in which the motion in its passage from and to the ether was accumulated for a period in matter (the sun) as a store, and therefore the derivation of the motion from and its transference to the ether are necessarily not simultaneous.

134. As regards, therefore, the separation of the molecules of carbon which deposited in the vegetation becomes, in the form of animal food and coal, an adaptation for the derivation of power in two important cases; and as regards the elevation of the mole-

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cules of water and air, which also become adaptations for the derivation of power, the physical processes involved in all these cases are identical in principle among themselves, or the processes are all cyclical, in which, however, the motion derived from the ether has been accumulated as a store in matter during its passage from and to the ether; and therefore the derivation of the motion from and its transference to the ether do not take place simultaneously.

On the other hand, the physical processes involved at the derivation of the power, i. e. at the oxidation (combustion) of the carbon in the animal system and in the steam engine, and at the movement of the molecules of air and water in the form of winds and streams, are also cyclical processes, identical among them- selves, but in one respect different from the previous processes, in that the motion comes direct from the ether at the time, or the transference of motion from and to the ether goes on simultaneously.