Chapter VIII: The Law of Disorder Summary and Analysis

When water is magnified a few million times, a granular structure formed by separate molecules is revealed and the molecules are see to be in a state of violent agitation. This movement in water or any substance is called heat (or thermal) motion. The motion of molecules in the nervous fibers is what causes us to feel heat. The English botanist Robert Brown noticed he could study plant spores in liquid or smoke or dust floating in the air. The Brownian motion was discovered by the scientist when he applied heat to the tiny particles and caused them to move even more violently. It was discovered that at -273 centigrade, or absolute zero, all molecules come to rest. Molecules reach their melting point at varying degrees depending on the cohesive forces...