An aluminium plate of 1/100 m.m. thickness is sufficient for the
suppression of almost all the rays not readily deflected when the
substance is far enough from the condenser; for smaller distances (34
m.m. and 51 m.m.) two pieces of this aluminium foil are necessary to
give the same result.
Similar determinations were made with four substances containing radium
(chlorides or carbonates) of very different activity; analogous results
were obtained.
It may be remarked that, in all cases, the penetrating rays deflected by
the magnet (β-rays) form only a small fraction of the total radiation;
they influence but slightly the determinations in which the whole
radiation is made use of to produce conductivity of the air.
The radiation emitted by polonium may be studied by the electrical
method. When the distance, A D, of the polonium from the condenser is
varied, no current is observed at first while the distance is fairly
great; on nearing the polonium, the radiation suddenly becomes manifest
with great intensity; the current then increases uniformly whilst
approaching the polonium, but the magnetic field produces no appreciable
effect under these conditions. The radiation of polonium is apparently
limited in space, and does not pass into the air beyond a kind of sheath
surrounding the substance to a thickness of several centimetres.
The interpretation of the experiments I have just described must be
accompanied by some important general reservations. In speaking of the
proportion of the rays deflected by the magnet, I refer only to that
portion of the radiation capable of causing a current in the condenser.
In employing the fluorescent action of the Becquerel rays, or their
action on photographic plates, the proportion would probably be
different—a measure of intensity having, as a rule, no meaning except
for the method of measurement adopted.
The rays of polonium are α-rays. In the experiments just described, I
observed no action of the magnetic field upon them, but the experimental
conditions were such that a slight deflection would pass unnoticed.
The experiments made by the radiographic method confirmed the preceding
results. Taking radium as the source of radiation, and receiving the
impression on a plate parallel to the primitive shaft and normal to the
field, a very clear print is obtained of two shafts separated by the
action of the field, the one deflected, the other not deflected. The
β-rays constitute the deflected beam; the α-rays, being very slightly
deflected, are not to be distinguished from the undeflected bundle of
the γ-rays.
_Deflected β-Rays._
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account