IV.
Silver ([Plate VI], 4 and Ag below).
Silver presents us with only two new bodies, and even these are only new by slight additions to old models. The triangular shaped body at the apex of the funnel, containing 21 atoms, is intermediate between the similar bodies in copper and iron. As a proto-element it becomes three triangles, joined at their apices, in fact a tetrahedron in which no atoms are distributed on the fourth face. The faces separate on the meta level and give three seven-atomed figures, and each of these breaks up into two triplets and a unit. The central globe only differs from that of bromine by the addition of one atom, which gives the familiar four-sided pyramid with a square base as in chlorine (see [p. 46]).
Gold ([Plate VII] and Au below).
The disintegration of gold first yields forty-seven bodies on the proto-level; the twenty-four funnels separate, and the central globes which hold each twelve together set free their six contained globes (c, d), thirty bodies being thus liberated. The sixteen bodies on the central inclined planes, marked b, break away, their central globe, with its four contained globes, remaining unchanged. But this condition does not last. The motion of the funnels changes and thus the funnels cease to exist and their contents are set free, each funnel thus liberating nine independent bodies; the sixteen b separate into two each; the four a liberate five each; the two c set free thirteen each; the four d finally liberate two each: 302 proto elements in all.
The funnel is almost that of iodine, re-arranged. Four of the first ring in the iodine funnel are replaced by the triangular body, which becomes a four-sided pyramid with an occupied base. The second ring of three ovoids in iodine becomes four in gold, but the internal arrangement of each ovoid is the same. The next two spheres in the iodine funnel coalesce into one sphere, with similar contents, in the gold funnel. The fifth in iodine is slightly rearranged to form the fourth in descent in gold, and the remaining two are the same. B has been broken up under occultum ([p. 628]) and can be followed there. The sixteen rings set free from the four a, after gyrating round the central body, now become a sphere, break up, as in occultum (see [p. 44]) into a meta seven-atomed ring and an eight-atomed double cross, and so on to the hyper level. The sphere with its two contained bodies breaks up into eight triangles on the meta level, and each of these, on the hyper, into a duad and a unit. The twelve septets of c assume the form of prisms as in iodine (see [p. 48]) and pursue the same course, while its central body, a four-sided pyramid with its six attendants, divides on the meta level into six duads, revolving round a ring with a central atom as in chlorine ([p. 47]), the duads going off independently on the hyper-level and the ring breaking up as in chlorine. The "cigar" tetrahedron of d follows its course as in occultum, and the other sets free two quartets and two triplets on the meta level, yielding six duads and two units as hyper compounds. It will be seen that, complex as gold is, it is composed of constituents already familiar, and has iodine and occultum as its nearest allies.
II and IIa.—The Tetrahedral Groups.
II.—This group consists of beryllium (glucinum), calcium, strontium and barium, all diatomic, paramagnetic and positive. The corresponding group consists of oxygen, chromium, molybdenum, wolfram (tungsten) and uranium, with a blank disk between wolfram and uranium: these are diatomic, paramagnetic, and negative. We have not examined barium, wolfram, or uranium.
Beryllium
(
, 2, and
, 1). In the tetrahedron four funnels are found, the mouth of each funnel opening on one of its faces. The funnels radiate from a central globe, and each funnel contains four ovoids each with ten atoms within it arranged in three spheres. In the accompanying diagrams one funnel with its four ovoids is shown and a single ovoid with its three spheres, containing severally three, four, and three atoms, is seen at the left-hand corner of the plate (7
a
). The members of this group are alike in arrangement, differing only in the increased complexity of the bodies contained in the funnels. Beryllium, it will be observed, is very simple, whereas calcium and strontium are complicated.
BERYLLIUM: 4 funnels of 40 atoms 160
Central globe 4
----
Total 164
----
Atomic weight 9.01
Number weight 164/18 9.11
Calcium
(
, 2) shows in each funnel three contained spheres, of which the central one has within it seven ovoids identical with those of beryllium, and the spheres above and below it contain each five ovoids (7
b
) in which the three contained spheres have, respectively, two, five, and two atoms. The central globe is double, globe within globe, and is divided into eight segments, radiating from the centre like an orange; the internal part of the segment belonging to the inner globe has a triangular body within it, containing four atoms (7
c
), and the external part, belonging to the encircling globe, shows the familiar "cigar" (7
d
). In this way 720 atoms are packed into the simple beryllium type.
CALCIUM: 4 funnels of 160 atoms 640
Central globe 80
----
Total 720
----
Atomic weight 39.74
Number weight 720/18 40.00
Strontium
(
, 3) shows a still further complication within the funnels, no less than eight spheres being found within each. Each of the highest pair contains four subsidiary spheres, with five, seven, seven, five atoms, respectively (7
e
,
g
,
f
). The
g
groups are identical with those in gold, but difference of pressure makes the containing body spherical instead of ovoid; similar groups are seen in the top ring of the iodine funnel, where also the "hole" is ovoid in form. The second pair of spheres contains ten ovoids (7
b
) identical with those of calcium. The third pair contains fourteen ovoids (7
a
) identical with those of beryllium, while the fourth pair repeats the second, with the ovoids re-arranged. The internal divisions of the double sphere of the central globe are the same as in calcium, but the contents differ. The "cigars" in the external segments are replaced by seven-atomed ovoids (7
h
)—the iodine ovoids—and the external segments contain five-atomed triangles (7
i
). Thus 1,568 atoms have been packed into the beryllium type, and our wonder is again aroused by the ingenuity with which a type is preserved while it is adapted to new conditions.
STRONTIUM: 4 funnels of 368 atoms 1472
Central globe 96
----
Total 1568
----
Atomic weight 86.95
Number weight 1568/18 87.11
The corresponding group, headed by oxygen—oxygen, chromium, molybdenum, wolfram and uranium—offers us another problem in its first member.
Oxygen
(
, 4). This was examined by us in 1895, and the description may be reproduced here with a much improved diagram of its very peculiar constitution. The gaseous atom is an ovoid body, within which a spirally-coiled snake-like body revolves at a high velocity, five brilliant points of light shining on the coils. The appearance given in the former diagram will be obtained by placing the five septets on one side on the top of those on the other, so that the ten become in appearance five, and thus doubling the whole, the doubling point leaving eleven duads on each side. The composition is, however, much better seen by flattening out the whole. On the proto level the two snakes separate and are clearly seen.
OXYGEN: Positive snake
{ 55 spheres of 2 atoms }
{ + 5 disks of 7 atoms } 145
Negative snake " 145
----
Total 290
----
Atomic weight 15.87
Number weight 290/18 16.11
Chromium
(
, 5) "reverts to the ancestral type," the tetrahedron; the funnel is widened by the arrangement of its contents, three spheres forming its first ring, as compared with the units in beryllium and calcium, and the pairs in strontium and molybdenum. Two of these spheres are identical in their contents—two quintets (7
f
), a quintet (7
j
), and two quintets (7
e
),
e
and
f
being to each other as object and image. The remaining sphere (7
b
) is identical with the highest in the calcium funnel. The remaining two spheres, one below the other, are identical with the corresponding two spheres in calcium. The central globe, as regards its external segments, is again identical with that of calcium, but in the internal segments a six-atomed triangle (7
k
) is substituted for the calcium four-atomed one (7
e
).
CHROMIUM: 4 funnels of 210 atoms 840
Central globe 96
-----
Total 936
-----
Atomic weight 51.74
Number weight 936/18 52.00
Molybdenum
(
, 6) very closely resembles strontium, differing from it only in the composition of the highest pair of spheres in the funnels and in the presence of a little sphere, containing two atoms only, in the middle of the central globe. The topmost spheres contain no less than eight subsidiary spheres within each; the highest of these (7
e
) has four atoms in it; the next three have four, seven and four (7
e
g
e
), respectively; the next three are all septets (7
g
), and the last has four—making in all for these two spheres 88 atoms, as against the 48 in corresponding spheres of strontium, making a difference of 160 in the four funnels.
MOLYBDENUM: 4 funnels of 408 atoms 1632
Central globe 98
-----
Total 1730
-----
Atomic weight 95.26
Number weight 1730/18 96.11
II a.—This group contains magnesium, zinc, cadmium, and mercury, with an empty disk between cadmium and mercury; we did not examine mercury. All are diatomic, diamagnetic and positive; the corresponding group consists of sulphur, selenium and tellurium, also all diatomic and diamagnetic, but negative. The same characteristics of four funnels opening on the faces of a tetrahedron are found in all, but magnesium and sulphur have no central globe, and in cadmium and tellurium the globe has become a cross.
Magnesium
(
, 1) introduces us to a new arrangement: each group of three ovoids forms a ring, and the three rings are within a funnel; at first glance, there are three bodies in the funnel; on examination each of these is seen to consist of three, with other bodies, spheres, again within them. Apart from this, the composition is simple enough, all the ovoids being alike, and composed of a triplet, a septet and a duad.
MAGNESIUM: 4 funnels of 108 atoms 432
Atomic weight 24.18
Number weight 432/18 24.00
Zinc
(
, 2) also brings a new device: the funnel is of the same type as that of magnesium, while septets are substituted for the triplets, and 36 additional atoms are thus slipped in. Then we see four spikes, alternating with the funnels and pointing to the angles, each adding 144 atoms to the total. The spikes show the ten-atomed triangle, already met with in other metals, three very regular pillars, each with six spheres, containing two, three, four, four, three, two atoms, respectively. The supporting spheres are on the model of the central globe, but contain more atoms. Funnels and spikes alike radiate from a simple central globe, in which five contained spheres are arranged crosswise, preparing for the fully developed cross of cadmium. The ends of the cross touch the bottoms of the funnels.
ZINC: 4 funnels of 144 atoms 576
4 spikes of 144 atoms 576
Central globe 18
-----
Total 1170
-----
Atomic weight 64.91
Number weight 1170/18 65.00
Cadmium
(
, 3) has an increased complexity of funnels; the diagram shows one of the three similar segments which lie within the funnels as cylinders; each of these contains four spheres, three pillars and three ovoids, like the spike of zinc turned upside down, and the zinc ten-atomed triangle changed into three ten-atomed ovoids. The centre-piece is a new form, though prefigured in the central globe of zinc.
CADMIUM: 3 segments of 164 atoms = 492
4 funnels of 492 atoms 1968
Central body 48
-----
Total 2016
-----
Atomic weight 111.60
Number weight 2016/18 112.00
The corresponding negative group is headed by
Sulphur
(
, 1), which, like magnesium, has no central globe, and consists simply of the zinc funnels, much less compressed than zinc but the same in composition.
SULPHUR: 4 funnels of 144 atoms 576
Atomic weight 31.82
Number weight 576/18 32.00
Selenium
(
, 2) is distinguished by the exquisite peculiarity, already noticed, of a quivering star, floating across the mouth of each funnel, and dancing violently when a ray of light falls upon it. It is known that the conductivity of selenium varies with the intensity of the light falling upon it, and it may be that the star is in some way connected with its conductivity. It will be seen that the star is a very complicated body, and in each of its six points the two five-atomed spheres revolve round the seven-atomed cone. The bodies in the funnels resemble those in magnesium, but a reversed image of the top one is interposed between itself and the small duad, and each pair has its own enclosure. The central globe is the same as that of zinc.
SELENIUM: 4 funnels of 198 atoms 792
4 stars of 153 atoms 612
Central globe 18
-----
Total 1422
-----
Atomic weight 78.58
Number weight 1422/18 79.00
Tellurium
(
, 3), it will be seen, closely resembles cadmium, and has three cylindrical segments—of which one is figured—making up the funnel. The contained bodies in the pillars run three, four, five, four, three, two, instead of starting with two; and a quartet replaces a duad in the globes above. The central cross only differs from that of cadmium in having a seven-atomed instead of a four-atomed centre. So close a similarity is striking.
TELLURIUM: 3 segments of 181 atoms = 543
4 funnels of 543 atoms 2172
Central body 51
-----
Total 2223
-----
Atomic weight 126.64
Number weight 2223/18 123.50