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The kinetic theory of gases can point to unquestioned successes; and
the idea of Daniel Bernouilli, who, as early as 1738, considered a
gaseous mass to be formed of a considerable number of molecules
animated by rapid movements of translation, has been put into a form
precise enough for mathematical analysis, and we have thus found
ourselves in a position to construct a really solid foundation. It
will be at once conceived, on this hypothesis, that pressure is the
resultant of the shocks of the molecules against the walls of the
containing vessel, and we at once come to the demonstration that the
law of Mariotte is a natural consequence of this origin of pressure;
since, if the volume occupied by a certain number of molecules is
doubled, the number of shocks per second on each square centimetre of
the walls becomes half as much. But if we attempt to carry this
further, we find ourselves in presence of a serious difficulty. It is
impossible to mentally follow every one of the many individual
molecules which compose even a very limited mass of gas.


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