Page:A Treatise on Electricity and Magnetism - Volume 2.djvu/87

430.] soft iron, we find $$k = \frac{134}{135}$$. This, according to Poisson's theory, is the ratio of the volume of the magnetic molecules to the whole volume of the iron. It is impossible to pack a space with equal spheres so that the ratio of their volume to the whole space shall be so nearly unity, and it is exceedingly improbable that so large a proportion of the volume of iron is occupied by solid molecules whatever be their form. This is one reason why we must abandon Poisson's hypothesis. Others will be stated in Chapter VI. Of course the value of Poisson s mathematical investigations remains unimpaired, as they do not rest on his hypothesis, but on the experimental fact of induced magnetization.