Linus Pauling: Well, molecules and atoms behave the way they do because of their structure in terms
of electrons and atomic nuclei. The electron is attracted to each of the atomic nucleus
by electrostatic attraction and this is very well understood. The equations that you
need to solve in order to predict what the properties of an atom or a molecule would
be are rather complicated. Usually it is easier to go into the laboratory and carry
out an experiment to find out what the substance will, how the substance will behave,
what the molecules will do. But of course you are much more successful in carrying
out experiments if you do the right ones and to have a theory of atomic and molecular
structure is extremely important for that reason.
Clip
Creator: Linus Pauling Clip ID: 1977v.66-behave
Full Work
Creator: Robert Richter, WGBH-Boston Associated: Linus Pauling, Ava Helen Pauling, David Shoemaker, E. Bright Wilson, Jr., Frank Catchpool
