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DHARJA AND CTACR
207 at was necessary that the ether possesses rigidity. Many theories were put forth to prove the concept of ether as a solid substance, possessing rigidity. But all these theories had to face this question If the ether is a solid possessing rigidity, how can the planets rotate in the space without encountering any resistence But, when IIaäwell proved that light wazes ale electro-magnetic in nature, the concept of solid ether vanished "
The first problem was, of course, that if lightwaves were real waves, they must be waves in something They were plainly not waves in matter. It was necessary, therefore, to invent something elsc, which was not matter, for them, to be waves in This something they called the 'ether', and imagined it as an utterly thin and utterly elastic fluid, that flowed undisturbed between the particles of the material universe and filled all 'empty space' of every kind
What was this 'ether' like? Difficulties and contradictions appeared at once, for it was proved to be (1) thinner than the thinnest gas (2) more rigid than steel (3) absolutely the same everywhere (4) a 3solutely weightless, (5) in the neighbourhood of any electron immensely heavier than lead.
The Newtonian Ether is rigid, yet, allows all matters to move about in it, without friction or resistance, it is elastic but cannot be distorted, it moves but its motion cannot be detected, it exerts force on matter
