Spencer Heath Archive

Item 204

Proposed article in pencil February 1949, revised in typing April 25, 1949.

     A quantum of Action is a very small fraction of an erg-second. An erg-second is the integration into Action of a unit of force (one dyne), a unit of velocity (one centimeter per second), and a unit of time or duration (one second), or any other objective integration of mass (as force or inertia), motion and time in other quantities and relative proportions than these three unit-quantities (dyne, centimeter, second), provided that the numerical product of these three other quantities shall not be dif­ferent but shall remain unchanged. An erg-second, there­fore, can consist of mass (or force) combined in a great variety of proportions so that any two or more erg-seconds can be dissimilar in every respect but that of their over­all magnitude. A quantum of Action is a definite but ex­ceedingly small fraction of any erg-second. Quanta of Action therefore can be very dissimilar, as dissimilar in fact, in all respects, except their over-all magnitude, as the erg-seconds of which they are the same or equal fractional parts.

     The product of a unit force, one dyne, into the unit distance, one centimeter, is one unit of energy. This is the unit of energy called the erg. This erg may be variously composed of force and distance, so their product is equal to and not less nor greater than one. An erg is not action or any event because there is no specification of any time involved. To constitute an action or event a force must move through time as well as through distance or space. If the time involved is specified as one unit of time or one second, then what was an erg of energy becomes an erg-second of action.

     Whenever any quantity of energy, ergs, moves through any quantity of time we have a quantity no longer of mere energy but of action, and if we divide this quantity of time into the quantity of energy, ergs, we will obtain the quantity of energy acting per unit of time which thus becomes the number of action units per unit of time — or, what is the same thing, the number of force units times their velocity through the given distance. If now we multiply this action rate by any period or duration of time through which the action takes place at this given rate (this action rate being the same thing is /as?/ the force times its velocity) this action rate times such period of time will be the magnitude of the action or event taking place during that period or duration of time. Thus an erg-second is the magnitude of a unit of energy taking place as action through one unit of time. The erg-second, then, is that quantity of action which is used as the measuring unit for taking the dimension of any other quantity or quantities of action.

 The quantity, magnitude or dimension of any action depends only upon the product of its three factors of mass or force, of motion or velocity and of duration or time, without any respect to their relative magnitudes or proportions.

The character or quality of any action, the kind of action, as distinguished from mere size, is determined by the relative proportions in which its three factors of mass, motion and time are combined.

 That action is of the highest quality, from the standpoint of any organism or organization of which it is a part, / in which the durational factor is or is becoming highest in proportion to its factors of force and motion.