The following numbers were obtained:
Volts Current
50 109
100 185
200 255
400 335
For an increase of voltage of 8 times, the current only increases about
3 times. The current in the liquid thus tends to become “saturated” as
does the ordinary ionization current through a gas. These results have
an important bearing on the ionization theory, and show that the
radiation probably produces ions in the liquid as well as in the gas. It
was also found that X rays increased the conductivity to about the same
extent as the radium rays.
Becquerel[206] has recently shown that solid paraffin exposed to the β
and γ rays of radium acquires the property of conducting electricity to
a slight extent. After removal of the radium the conductivity diminishes
with time according to the same law as for an ionized gas. These results
show that a solid as well as a liquid and gaseous dielectric is ionized
under the influence of radium rays.
=121. Effect of temperature on the radiations.= Becquerel[207], by the
electric method, determined the activity of uranium at the temperature
of liquid air, and found that it did not differ more than 1 per cent.
from the activity at ordinary temperatures. In his experiments, the α
rays from the uranium were absorbed before reaching the testing vessel,
and the electric current measured was due to the β rays alone. P.
Curie[208] found that the luminosity of radium and its power of exciting
fluorescence in bodies were retained at the temperature of liquid air.
Observations by the electric method showed that the activity of radium
was unaltered at the temperature of liquid air. If a radium compound is
heated in an open vessel, it is found that the activity, measured by the
α rays, falls to about 25 per cent. of its original value. This is
however not due to a change in the radio-activity, but to the release of
the radio-active emanation, which is stored in the radium. No alteration
is observed if the radium is heated in a closed vessel from which none
of the radio-active products are able to escape.
=122. Motion of radium in an electric field.= Joly[209] found that a
disc, one side of which is coated with a few milligrams of radium
bromide, exhibits, when an electrified body is brought near it, motions
very different to those observed in the case of an inactive substance.
The electrified body, whether positive or negative, repels the suspended
body if brought up to it on the side coated with radium, but attracts it
if presented to the naked side.
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