Transcriber’s Notes
Obvious typographical errors have been silently corrected. Variationsin hyphenation have been standardised but all other spelling andpunctuation remains unchanged.
The cover was prepared by the transcriber and is placed in the public domain.
WORLDSIN THE MAKING
THE EVOLUTION OF THE UNIVERSE
BY
SVANTE ARRHENIUS
DIRECTOR OF THE PHYSICO-CHEMICAL NOBELINSTITUTE, STOCKHOLM
TRANSLATED BYDR. H. BORNS
ILLUSTRATED
NEW YORK AND LONDON
HARPER & BROTHERS PUBLISHERS
MCMVIII
Copyright, 1908, by Harper & Brothers.
All rights reserved.
Published March, 1908.
[Pg iii]
TABLE OF CONTENTS
| I. | VOLCANIC PHENOMENA AND EARTHQUAKES | 1 |
| Destruction caused by volcanism and by earthquakes.—Differentkinds of volcanoes.—Vesuvius.—Products of eruption.—Volcanicactivity diminishing.—Structure of volcanoes.—Geographicaldistribution of volcanoes.—Temperaturein the interior of the earth.—Significance of waterfor volcanism.—Composition of the earth’s interior.—Geographicaldistribution of earthquakes.—Fissures in theearth’s crust.—Groups of earthquakes.—Waves in the seaand in the air accompanying earthquakes.—Their connectionwith volcanism.—Systems of fissures.—Seismograms. | ||
| II. | THE CELESTIAL BODIES, IN PARTICULAR THEEARTH, AS ABODES OF LIVING BEINGS | 39 |
| Manifold character of the worlds.—The earth probably atfirst a ball of gases.—Formation of the earth crust and itsrapid cooling.—Balance between heat received and heatlost by radiation.—Life already existing on the earth fora milliard of years.—The waste of solar heat.—Temperatureand habitability of the planets.—Heat-preserving influenceof the atmosphere.—Significance of carbon dioxide in theatmosphere.—Warm and cold geological ages.—Fluctuationsin the percentage of carbon dioxide of the air.—Combustion,decay, and growth.—Atmospheric oxygen.—Vegetablelife more ancient than animal life.—The atmospheresof planets.—Chances of an improvement in the climate. | ||
| III. | RADIATION AND CONSTITUTION OF THE SUN | 64 |
| Stability of the solar system.—Losses and possible gainsof heat by the sun.—Theses of Mayer and of Helmholtz.—Temperaturesof the white, yellow, and reddish stars, andof the sun.—Sun-spots and sun faculæ.—Prominences.—[Pg iv]Spectra of the parts of the sun.—Temperature of the sun.—Theinterior of the sun.—Its composition according to themechanical theory of heat.—The losses of heat by the sunprobably covered by the enormous solar energy. | ||
... BU KİTABI OKUMAK İÇİN ÜYE OLUN VEYA GİRİŞ YAPIN!Sitemize Üyelik ÜCRETSİZDİR! | ||