It may be diffused as gas
or concentrated as a world, but it is still the same matter.
Matter is worthy of God's creation. Astronomy is awe-full; microscopy
is no less so. Astronomy means immensity, bulk; atoms mean
individuality. The essence of matter seems to be spirit, personality.
It seems to be able to count, or at least to be cognizant of certain
exact quantities. An atom of bromine will combine with one of
hydrogen; one of oxygen with two of hydrogen; one of nitrogen with
three of hydrogen; one of silicon with four of hydrogen, etc. They
marry without thought of divorce. A group of atoms married by affinity
is called a molecule. Two atoms of hydrogen joined to one of oxygen
make water. They are like three marbles laid near together on the
ground, not close together; for we well know that water does not fill
all the space it occupies. We can put eight or ten similar bulks of
other substances into a glass of water without greatly increasing its
bulk, some actually diminishing it. Water molecules are like a mass of
shot, with large interstices between. Drive the atoms of water apart
by heat till the water becomes steam, till they are as three marbles a
larger distance apart, yet the molecule is not destroyed, the union is
still indissoluble. One physicist has declared that the atoms of
oxygen and hydrogen are probably not nearer to each other in water than
one hundred and fifty men would be if scattered over the surface of
England--one man for each four hundred square miles.
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