218
THEORY OF
SPECIFIC
HEAT
[15]
(7)
E=RNBv/BvT-1
as
well
as,
with the
help
of
(5), the
Planck
radiation
formula,
pv
~
P
N
eBv/T.
1
Equation
(7) shows
the
dependence
of the
mean energy
of
Planck's
resonator
on
the
temperature.
From
the
above
it
emerges
clearly
in which
sense
the molecular-kinetic
theory
of heat
must
be
modified
in
order
to be brought
into
agreement
with the
distribution
law
of
black-body
radiation.
For
although
one
has
thought
before
that the
motion
of molecules
obeys
the
same
laws
that hold for the
motion of
bodies in
our
world of
sense
perception
(in
essence,
we are
only
adding
the
postulate
of
complete
reversibility),
we now
must
assume,
for ions
capable of
oscillating
at
particular
frequencies which
can
mediate
an
exchange
of
energy
between
matter
and
radiation,
that the diversity of
states they
can assume
is
[16]
less than
for bodies within
our
experience.
For
we
had
to make
the
assumption
that the
mechanism of
energy
transfer is
such
that the
energy
of
elementary
structures
can
only
assume
the values
0,
(R/N)ßv, 2(R/N)ßv,
etc.1
I
believe that
we
must not content
ourselves with this result.
For
the
question
arises:
If
the
elementary structures
that
are
to be
assumed in
the
theory
of
energy exchange
between
radiation
and matter cannot
be
perceived in
terms
of the
current
molecular-kinetic
theory,
are we
then
not obliged
also
to
modify
the
theory
for
the other periodically
oscillating
structures
considered
in
the molecular
theory
of
heat? In
my
opinion
the
answer
is
not
in
doubt.
If Planck's radiation
theory
goes
to
the
root
of
the
matter,
then contradic–
1It
is
obvious
that this
assumption
also
has
to be
extended
to
bodies
capable
of
oscillation that consist
of
any
number
of elementary structures.