Page:The Scientific Monthly vol. 3.djvu/180

 174 THE SCIENTIFIC MONTHLY

energy^ corresponding with first and second laws of thermod; developed in physics by the researches of Newton^ Helmholtz, ] Kelvin, and others.'^

" Life Elements '* in the Sun and in cub Planet

We have thus observed that the primal earth, air and W8 tained all the chemical elements and three of the most simple portant chemical compounds, namely, water, nitrates and carb ide, which are known to be essential to the pre-chlorophyllic anc phyllic stages of the life process. An initial step in the origu was the coordination or bringing together of these elements ^ far as we know, had never been in combined action before widely distributed as they appear in the solar spectrum. T before examining the properties of these elements further, it is ing to trace them back into the sun and thus into the cosmos.

Excepting hydrogen and oxygen, the principal elements wh into the formation of protoplasm are minor constituents of the matter sown throughout space in comparison with the rock-fon ments."' Again excepting hydrogen, their lines in the solar i are for the most part weak and only shown on high dispersio while hydrogen is represented by very strong lines as shown bj heliograms of solar prominences. The lines of oxygen are : faint; it appears principally as a compound, titanium oxide {\ sunspots although a triple line in the extreme red seems a due to it. In the chromosphere, or higher atmosphere of hydrogen is not in a state of combustion, and the fine hydrogc nences show radiations comparable to those in a vacuum tube

Nitrogen, the next most important life element, is display so-called cyanogen bands of the ultra-violet, made visible by persion photographs. Carbon is shown in many lines in gre< are relatively bright near the sun's edge; it is also present i and carbonaceous meteorites (Orgueil, Kold Bokkeveld, etc.) known. Graphite occurs in meteoric irons.

In the solar spectrum so far as studied no lines of the ments," phosphorus, sulphur, and chlorine, have been detected other hand, the metallic elements which enter into the life co iron, sodium and calcium, are all represented by strong lii solar spectrum, the exception being potassium in which the faint. Of the eight metallic elements which are most abundi earth's crust as well as the non-metallic elements carbon ax six are also among the eight strongest in the solar spectrum, eral, however, the important life elements are very widely d

•■^ Henderson, Lawrence J., 1913, pp. 15-18.

«8 Bussell, Henry Norris, letter of March 6, 1916.

•» Hale, George Ellery; letter of March 10, 1916.

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