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The Royal Society: Science in the Making

Paper, 'The vortex ring theory of gases. On the law of the distribution of energy among the molecules' by J J [Joseph John] Thomson

Reference number: PP/7/2

Date: 1885

Description

Thomson writes: 'In any kinetic theory of gases the statistical method of investigation must be used, and since the separate molecules of the gas are supposed to possess some properties to very different extents, it is necessary to know how many molecules there are which have the measure of any given property between certain limits. Thus the question of the distribution of configuration and velocity amongst the molecules is one of the most important problems in any theory of gases.'

Annotations in pencil and ink.

Subject: Chemistry

Received 4 June 1885. [No read date given]

A version of this paper was published in volume 39 of the Proceedings of the Royal Society as 'The vortex ring theory of gases. On the law of the distribution of energy among the molecules'.

Reference number
PP/7/2
Earliest possible date
1885
Physical description
Ink and graphite pencil on paper
Page extent
19 pages
Format
Manuscript

Creator name

Joseph John Thomson

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Citation

Joseph John Thomson, Paper, 'The vortex ring theory of gases. On the law of the distribution of energy among the molecules' by J J [Joseph John] Thomson, 1885, PP/7/2, The Royal Society Archives, London, https://makingscience.royalsociety.org/items/pp_7_2/paper-the-vortex-ring-theory-of-gases-on-the-law-of-the-distribution-of-energy-among-the-molecules-by-j-j-joseph-john-thomson, accessed on 13 October 2024

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    Dates: 1882 - 1894

    The archival collection known as 'Proceedings Papers' is comprised of manuscripts and occasional proofs of scientific papers sent to the Royal Society which were read before meetings of Fellows and printed in full in the Proceedings of the Royal Society.

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