Abstract
This is a short presentation of Loschmidt’s thoughts on matter and its constitution. They concerned fundamental questions: Whether there is continuity or if there are discrete particles with a vacuum between them; whether “atoms” exist as the smallest and ultimate (indivisible) particles of matter, or if there are subatomic or even weightless “particles”.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References and Notes
The unpublished notes and drafts evaluated here are in the Archives of the Austrian Academy of Sciences and in a collection of Loschmidt’s papers assembled by Dr.A. Bader. I want to thank Dr. Hannelore Sexl, Austrian Academy of Sciences, and Dr.R. Rosner, who is custodian for Dr. Baders collection, for putting copies of the unpublished notes and drafts at my disposal. Professor T. Schönfeld suggested that I study these papers. When he handed them to me with the words “Have a look at that, maybe you can make something out of it,” I was not aware that I held in my hands an undiscovered treasure, providing much insight into Loschmidt’s ideas on the structure of matter.
Anonymous (W. Prout.), On the relation between the specific bodies in their gaseous state and the weights of their atoms, Ann. Philosophy 6, 321 (1815).
D.I. Mendelejeff, Die periodische Gesetzmäßigkeit der Elemente, in German: Ann.Chem.Pharm., Suppl. VIII, 206 (1870/72).
D.I. Mendelejeff, The periodic law of the chemical elements (Faraday Lecture, June 4th, 1889), J.Chem.Soc. Transactions 55, 645 (1889).
L.Meyer, Grundzüge der Theoretischen Chemie, Leipzig 1890, p.49.
e.g.:J.S.Stas, Recherches sur le rapports réciproques des poids atomiques, Éxtrait des Bulletins de l’Académie royale de Belgique, 2.série, tomeX, numéro 8; Bruxelles (1860).
e.g.: M. von Pettenkofer, Ann.Chem.Pharm., 105, 187 (1858).
J. Dumas, On the equivalent-weights of single bodies, Compt.rend. 45, 709 (1858).
J. Loschmidt, Zur Constitution des Aethers, Verlag Gerold, Wien 1862, p.4.
J. Loschmidt, Zur Grösse der Luftmolecüle, Sitzungs.Ber.Kais.Akad.Wiss.Wien, Math.Naturwiss.Classe, 52, 395 (1865).
J. Loschmidt, Schwingungszahlen einer elastischen Hohlkugel, Sitzungs.Ber.Kais.Akad.Wiss.Wien, Math. Naturwiss.Classe, 93, 434 (1887).
In his earlier publication “Chemische Studien I” (1861) Loschmidt already spoke about a “spherical orbit of atomic action” without using the term “aether.”.
See next section (Original Texts).
See next section (Original Texts).
As formulated in another hand-written undated note: “Agenda in Physik” (about monism or dualism of electricity).
These notes on the aether also contain thoughts about gravitation, electricity, magnetism and galvanism — a more detailed discussion of this theory of aether should be made in a separate paper. Here I shall only discuss his views on the structure of matter.
See next section (Original Texts).
See next section (Original Texts).
See next section (Original Texts).
W. Heisenberg, Der Teil und das Ganze, Piper Verlag, München 1969, p.89.
See next section (Original Texts).
See next section (Original Texts).
L. Boltzmann, Zur Erinnerung an Josef Loschmidt (1895), Populäre Schriften, Leipzig 1905.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 1997 Springer Science+Business Media New York
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Jenner, M. (1997). The Periodic System of the Elements and Prout’s Hypothesis. In: Fleischhacker, W., Schönfeld, T. (eds) Pioneering Ideas for the Physical and Chemical Sciences. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4899-0268-9_21
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4899-0268-9_21
Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA
Print ISBN: 978-1-4899-0270-2
Online ISBN: 978-1-4899-0268-9
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive