Abstract
THE molecular collisions most familiar to classical kinetic theory are those wherein the kinetic energy is conserved. The early successes of the dynamical theory of gases are due to the fact that certain atoms and simple molecules do, in fact, resemble elastic spheres under a variety of conditions. Latterly, however, an important group of phenomena has been discovered experimentally which shows that many gaseous collisions—particularly those involving electrons—occur with changes in the kinetic energy. The conditions which govern the conversion of kinetic energy into the various possible kinds of internal energy are as yet but dimly understood ; and on that account alone, Dr. E. J. B. Willey's book is to be welcomed.
Collisions of the Second Kind:
Their Role in Physics and Chemistry. By Dr. E. J. B. Willey. Pp. viii + 150 + 1 plate. (London: Edward Arnold and Co., 1937.) 10s. 6d. net.
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MOELWYN-HUGHES, E. [Short Reviews]. Nature 142, 665 (1938). https://doi.org/10.1038/142665d0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/142665d0