The view that the heat emission of radium is due very largely to the
kinetic energy possessed by the expelled α particles is strongly
confirmed by calculations of the magnitude of the heating effect to be
expected on such an hypothesis. It has been shown in section 93 that one
gram of radium bromide emits about 1·44 × 10¹¹ α particles per second.
The corresponding number for 1 gram of radium (Ra = 225) is 2·5 × 10¹¹.
Now it has been calculated from experimental data in section 94, that
the average kinetic energy of the α particles expelled from radium is
5·9 × 10⁻⁶ ergs. Since all of the α particles are absorbed either in the
radium itself or the envelope surrounding it, the total energy of the α
particles emitted per second is 1·5 × 10⁶ ergs. This corresponds to an
emission of energy of about 130 gram calories per hour. Now the observed
heating effect of radium is about 100 gram calories per hour.
Considering the nature of the calculation, the agreement between the
observed and experimental values is as close as would be expected, and
directly supports the view that the heat emission of radium is due very
largely to the bombardment of the radium and containing vessel by the α
particles expelled from its mass.
=249. Heating effect of the radium emanation.= The enormous amount of
heat liberated in radio-active transformations which are accompanied by
the expulsion of α particles is very well illustrated by the case of the
radium emanation.
The heat emission of the emanation released from 1 gram of radium is 75
gram calories per hour at its maximum value. This heat emission is not
due to the emanation alone, but also to its further products which are
included with it. Since the rate of heat emission decays exponentially
with the time to about half value in four days, the total amount of heat
liberated during the life of the emanation from 1 gram of radium is
equal to
$$ \int₀^{\infty} 75 e^{–λt} dt = \frac {75} {λ} $$
= 10,000 gram calories approximately,
since λ = ·0072(hour)⁻¹. Now the volume of the emanation from 1 gram of
radium is about 1 cubic millimetre at standard pressure and temperature
(section 172). Thus 1 cubic centimetre of the emanation would during its
transformation emit 10⁷ gram calories. The heat emitted during the
combination of 1 c.c. of hydrogen and oxygen to form water is about 2
gram calories. The emanation thus gives out during its changes 5 × 10⁶
times as much energy as the combination of an equal volume of hydrogen
and oxygen to form water, although this latter reaction is accompanied
by a larger release of energy than any other known to chemistry.
The production of heat from 1 c.c. of the radium emanation is about 21
gram calories per second. This generation of heat would be sufficient to
heat to redness, if not to melt down, the walls of the glass tube
containing the emanation.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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