The testing vessel and system of plates were waxed to a lead plate _P_
so that the rays entered the vessel _V_ only through the aluminium foil.
It is necessary in these experiments to have a steady stream of gas
passing downwards between the plates in order to prevent the diffusion
of the emanation from the radium upwards into the testing vessel. The
presence in the testing vessel of a small amount of this emanation,
which is always given out by radium, would produce great ionization and
completely mask the effect to be observed. For this purpose, a steady
current of dry electrolytic hydrogen of about 2 c.c. per second was
passed into the testing vessel; it then streamed through the porous
aluminium foil, and passed between the plates carrying the emanation
with it away from the apparatus. The use of a stream of hydrogen instead
of air greatly simplifies the experiment, for it _increases_ the
ionization current due to the α rays in the testing vessel, and at the
same time greatly _diminishes_ that due to the β and γ rays. This is
caused by the fact that the α rays are much more readily absorbed in air
than in hydrogen, while the rate of production of ions due to the β and
γ rays is much less in hydrogen than in air. The intensity of the α rays
after passing between the plates is consequently greater when hydrogen
is used; and since the rays pass through a sufficient distance of
hydrogen in the testing vessel to be largely absorbed, the total amount
of ionization produced by them is greater with hydrogen than with air.
The following is an example of an observation on the magnetic
deviation:—
Pole-pieces 1·90 × 2·50 cms.
Strength of field between pole-pieces 8370 units.
Apparatus of 25 parallel plates of length 3·70 cms., width ·70 cm.,
with an average air-space between plates of ·042 cm.
Distance of radium below plates 1·4 cm.
Rate of discharge of
electroscope in
volts per minute
(1) Without magnetic field 8·33
(2) With magnetic field 1·72
(3) Radium covered with thin layer of 0·93
mica to absorb all α rays
(4) Radium covered with mica and 0·92
magnetic field applied
The mica plate, ·01 cm. thick, was of sufficient thickness to absorb
completely all the α rays, while it allowed the β rays and γ rays to
pass through without appreciable absorption. The difference between (1)
and (3), 7·40 volts per minute, gives the rate of discharge due to the α
rays alone; the difference between (2) and (3), 0·79 volts per minute,
that due to the α rays not deviated by the magnetic field employed.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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