General Objectives and Organization

The electron theory holds that the various atoms of matter have the power, in different degrees, of gaining or losing electrons and it assumes that electrons form a natural part of all atoms, revolving around them or in them at enormous velocities. 

Newburyport High School, Salutatorian Newburyport, Massachusetts, 1913 

The electron is a universal quantity, as noted in the high-school address of renowned chemist Mulliken [1]. It is a particle, a wave, and an integral part of all matter. We now know that the natural phenomenon observed with marvel by ancient man, fire, sunlight, lightning, and the modern things we take for granted, such as electricity, radio, television, and nuclear power, all involve electrons. 

This chapter covers the specific objectives of the book, discusses its importance to various areas of chemistry, and provides a brief history of the characterization of the electron. The fundamental definitions, nomenclature, symbols, and equations are then summarized in Chapter 2. Chapter 3 gives a chronological history of the events leading up to this book in the Wentworth laboratory, including summaries of 

The Electron Capture Detector and the Study of Reactions with Thermal Electrons 

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