The non-molecular structure of solids

To sum up our argument then: It is shown, in the first place, that the arrangement of the atoms in certain crystals, as determined by the X-ray spectra, indicates definitely that in these crystals there is no molecular structure.In extending the argument to all solid matter it is pointed out, from the dependence of crystal form on chemical composition, from a consideration of the Dulong-Petit law and of the nature of cohesion, and from the evidence of X-rays as to certain crystals, that each atom in a solid oscillates about a definite position of stable equilibrium.From a further examination of the nature of cohesion and of the forces concerned in chemical combination and especially from the general relation found between the atomic heat of formation of a substance and its melting-point it is found that the forces holding the atoms in their positions of stable equilibrium are of the same nature and comparable in magnitude with the forces binding together a chemical molecule.It is seen further that the atoms in a solid are very close together so that they often come in contact. And, since an atom attracts equally all atoms of another kind which are in contact with it, an atom cannot remain combined for more than an infinitesimal interval with any other particular atom ordinary temperatures.Finally, it was shown that, since in the solid state each atom has three degrees of translational freedom and is strongly attracted by atoms other than those of its own “molecule,” it must, on the average, exert equal attractions on all the neighboring atoms.From this the conclusion is drawn that in the particular molecules cannot be definitely defined.When those properties of solid matter which have been explained by molecules are considered, nothing is found which indicates at all definitely a molecular structure.We feel justified in concluding, therefore, that the structure of solid matter is not molecular.     

Enlightenment and Education in Eighteenth Century America: A Platform for Further Study in Higher Education and the Colonial Shift

The prolific educational discussions of America's founding generation have led to extensive treatments surrounding the nature of early-national education in recent scholarship. Republican educational models Jefferson, Rush, and Webster have been scrutinized and praised as the forerunners to modern American higher education. Where these treatments are remiss, however, is in clearly identifying the fundamental shift in educational purpose between 1740 and 1780. Higher education classrooms were inundated with both Enlightenment and Evangelical literature, resulting in new arenas of student autonomy, thus radically departing from the traditional model of higher education carried over from England. An analysis of this transformation will highlight how the highly regarded republican educational ideas on education did not necessarily illustrate a thoroughly new model of higher education. Rather, it gave new definition to an already existing paradigm.     

Gay On-Screen: The Relationship Between Exposure to Gay Characters on Television and Heterosexual Audiences' Endorsement of Gay Equality

The current study, grounded in the parasocial contact hypothesis, employed a survey of emerging adults to investigate the relationship between exposure to gay characters on television and heterosexuals' endorsement of gay equality. A positive relationship existed between exposure to on-screen gay characters and gay equality endorsement. The relationship was stronger for racial minority participants than for White participants, and for participants who had no or few interpersonal relationships with openly gay individuals than for participants who had more than three respective relationships. Results are discussed in terms of the parasocial contact hypothesis and television as an agent of social change.     

Cheating among elementary school children: A machine learning approach

Academic cheating is common, but little is known about its early emergence. It was examined among Chinese second to sixth graders (N = 2094; 53% boys, collected between 2018 and 2019) using a machine learning approach. Overall, 25.74% reported having cheated, which was predicted by the best machine learning algorithm (Random Forest) at a mean accuracy of 81.43%. Cheating was most strongly predicted by children's beliefs about the acceptability of cheating and the observed prevalence and frequency of peer cheating at school. These findings provide important insights about the early development of academic cheating, and how to promote academic integrity and limit cheating before it becomes entrenched. The present research demonstrates that machine learning can be effectively used to analyze developmental data.     

Two-stage screening for math problem-solving difficulty using dynamic assessment of algebraic learning

The purpose of this study was to explore the utility of a dynamic assessment (DA) of algebraic learning in predicting third graders' development of mathematics word-problem difficulty. In the fall, 122 third-grade students were assessed on a test of math word-problem skill and DA of algebraic learning. In the spring, they were assessed on word-problem performance. Logistic regression was conducted to contrast two models. One relied exclusively on the fall test of math word-problem skill to predict word-problem difficulty on the spring outcome (less than the 25th percentile). The second model relied on a combination of the fall test of math word-problem skill and the fall DA to predict the same outcome. Holding sensitivity at 87.5%, the universal screener alone resulted in a high proportion of false positives, which was practically reduced when DA was included in the prediction model. Findings are discussed in terms of a two-stage process for screening students within a responsiveness-to-intervention prevention model.