APRIL, 1949 229

Also in this instance the misunderstanding seems to be
due to looking a t a physical system through one me-
chanical and one molecular glass. Laplace (5)was quite
clear as to the nature of the repulsive force which pre-
vents surface molecules from flying into the liquid.
In his vocabulary it was la fmce repulsive de la chaleur;
we now speak of molecular movement. If the student
(or teacher) remembers that the density of a liquid is
determined by competition between molecular attrac-
tion and molecular movement and that molecular at-
In my recent book (7), I used both the notion of sur-
face tension and the theory of molecular attraction.
The above remarks may serve as defense of my treat-
ment.
LITERATURE CITED
(1) ADAM,N. K., "The physics and Chemistry of SnrIaces," 1st
ed., OxfordUniversityPress, 1930, p. 3.
(2) GVTH. E., H.M. JAMES, AND H. MARK, Advances in Colbid

\-, ,- - ~ ,
~ A.- A~ ~ ~~~~ ~

this density diierence will be possible when we know Paris, 1807, p. 69. (This is the 2d
' Supplhent a; dixi6me
more about intermolecular forces. I could not find in livre du Trait6 de m6canique c6leste).
the twomemoirs by ~~~l~~~ (6, 8) any definite (6) LAPLACE, P. S., "Thborie de l'action capillaire," Paris, 1806.
(This is the first supplement to the book mentioned in
parison between the structure of surface layers and that \",,.
I R I
of the atmosphere, but I think this comparison would be (n BIKE~MAN,
J. J., <awfa,,
che&try for Industrial Re-
helpful in teaching Laplace's views. search," AoademicPress, Inc., NewYork, 1947.