Salts of gold, silver and mercury added to the radio-lead were found to
show only α ray activity on removal. This is in accordance with the view
that radium F alone is removed with these substances. Bismuth salts on
the other hand showed initially α and β ray activity, but the latter
rapidly died away. The presence of β rays in freshly prepared polonium
was early observed by Mme Curie. The α and β ray activity of the
radio-lead is much reduced by the precipitation of bismuth added to the
solution. The α and β ray activity of the radio-lead, however, recovers
itself again. This result is exactly what is to be expected if
radio-lead contains radium D, E and F. Radium E and F are removed with
the bismuth, but the parent substance, radium D, is left behind, and, in
consequence, a fresh supply of radium E and F is produced.
While further experiments are required to settle definitely whether the
products separated from radio-lead are identical with radium E and F,
there can be little doubt that such is the case. This conclusion is
strengthened by some experiments which I have made on a specimen of
radio-lead, which was kindly forwarded to me by Mr Boltwood of New
Haven. This active lead gave out α and β rays, the latter being in
unusually large proportion. The active lead was four months old when
first tested. The β ray activity in the following six months has
remained sensibly constant, but the α ray activity has steadily
increased. These results are to be expected if the radio-lead contains
radium D. Radium E will reach a practical maximum about 40 days after
separation of the product radium D with the lead. The α ray activity due
to radium F should increase to a maximum in about 2·6 years (see section
236).
Further experiments are required to settle whether the lead immediately
after separation from pitchblende contains only radium D, or whether
radium E also appears with it. It seems likely, however, that the
bismuth, which is initially present in solution at the time of
separation of the lead, will retain both radium E and F, and that the
presence of these products in radio-lead is due to their production,
after separation, by the parent substance, radium D.
It would be of scientific value to separate radium D from pitchblende
and obtain it in the pure state, for, a month after removal, the β ray
activity from it would be about 300 times as great as from an equal
weight of radium. By placing a bismuth plate in a solution of this
substance, radium F (polonium) should be separated, and, provided a
sufficient interval is allowed to elapse, a fresh supply of radium F can
at any time be obtained.
The rate of transformation of radium D (half transformed in 40 years) is
sufficiently slow not to interfere seriously with its utility in most
experiments.
The results of the comparison of the products of radium with those
contained in polonium, radio-tellurium and radio-lead are summarized
below.
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