The phenomenon of occlusion of the radium emanation is probably not
connected in any way with its radio-activity, although this property has
here served to measure it. The occlusion of helium by minerals presents
almost a complete analogy to the occlusion of the radium emanation. Part
of the helium is given off by fergusonite, for example, when it is
heated and all of it when the mineral is dissolved.
=153.= Similar results hold for thorium, but, on account of the rapid
loss of activity of the emanation, the amount of emanation occluded in a
non-emanating compound is very small compared with that observed for
radium. If the production of the thorium emanation proceeds at the same
rate under all conditions, the solution of a solid non-emanating
compound should be accompanied by a rush of emanation greater than that
subsequently produced. With the same notation as before we have for the
thorium emanation,
_N₀_ 1
----- = ----- = 87.
_q₀_ λ
This result was tested as follows: a quantity of finely powdered thorium
nitrate, of emanating power ¹⁄₂₀₀ of ordinary thoria, was dropped into a
Drechsel bottle containing hot water and the emanation rapidly swept out
into the testing vessel by a current of air. The ionization current rose
quickly to a maximum, but soon fell again to a steady value; showing
that the amount of emanation released when the nitrate dissolves, is
greater than the subsequent amount produced from the solution.
The rapid loss of the activity of the thorium emanation makes a
quantitative comparison like that for radium very difficult. By slightly
altering the conditions of the experiment, however, a definite proof was
obtained that the rate of production of emanation is the same in the
solid compound as in the solution. After dropping in the nitrate, a
rapid air stream was blown through the solution for 25 seconds into the
testing vessel. The air stream was stopped and the ionization current
immediately measured. The solution was then allowed to stand undisturbed
for 10 minutes. In that time the accumulation of the emanation again
attained a practical maximum and again represented a steady state. The
stream of air was blown through, as before, for 25 seconds, stopped and
the current again measured. In both cases, the electrometer recorded a
movement of 14·6 divisions per second. By blowing the same stream of air
continuously through the solution the final current corresponded to 7·9
divisions per second or about one-half of that observed after the first
rush.
Thus the rate of production of emanation is the same in the solid
nitrate as in the solution, although the emanating power, _i.e._ the
rate of escape of the emanation, is over 600 times greater in the
solution than in the solid.
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