Radio-activityUniversity Press, 1904 - 399 pages The first textbook on radioactivity, surveying contemporary knowledge of the entire field. The book includes a discussion of Rutherford's revolutionary transformation theory, developed during the period 1902-1903, which states that radioactivity is a by-product of the transmutation of one element into another. |
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Common terms and phrases
absorbed absorption acid actinium active bodies active matter active substance aluminium amount of emanation amount of excited atom barium bismuth cathode rays chemical condensation constant cubic centimetre curve cylinder diffusion earth electric field electrometer electron electroscope emanating power emitted energy excited activity produced experiments exponential law falling to half gases gram of radium gram-calories half value heat emission helium hydrogen increase insulated ionization ions produced J. J. Thomson layer luminosity magnetic deviation magnetic field maximum measured metal method minutes negative ions negatively charged number of ions observed obtained particles penetrating Phil phosphorescent photographic pitchblende plate polonium potential present pressure properties proportional radiation radio-active radio-elements radium bromide radium chloride radium emanation rate of decay removed Röntgen rays saturation current screen shown solution ẞ rays surface temperature testing vessel thickness thorium emanation tion total number tube uranium vacuum tube velocity wire
Popular passages
Page 27 - Variation of the current with voltage. Suppose that a layer of radio-active matter is spread uniformly on the lower of two horizontal plates A and B (Fig. 1). The lower plate A is connected with one pole of a battery of cells the other pole of which is connected with earth. The plate B is connected with one pair of quadrants of an electrometer, the other pair being connected with earth. The current* between the plates, determined by the rate of movement of the electrometer needle, is observed at...
Page 188 - ... zero, and in this particular case passes through a maximum about 10 minutes later, and then diminishes with the time. In a similar way, the amount of C passes through a maximum about 35 minutes after removal.
Page 323 - It seems, therefore, on the whole most probable that the sun has not illuminated the earth for 100,000,000 years, and almost certain that he has not done so for 500,000,000 years. As for the future, we may say, with equal certainty, that inhabitants of the earth cannot continue to enjoy the light and heat essential to their life, for many million years longer, unless sources now unknown to us are prepared in the great storehouse of creation.
Page 317 - there is reason to believe that an enormous store of latent energy is resident in the atoms of the radio elements Its existence at once explains the failure of chemistry to transform the atoms and also accounts for the independence of the rate of change of all external agencies ... .If it were ever found possible to control at will the rate of disintegration of the radio elements an Vol.
Page 323 - It seems therefore, on the whole, most probable that the sun has not illuminated the earth for 100,000,000 years, and almost certain that he has not done so for 600,000,000 years. As for the future, we may say with equal certainty that inhabitants of the earth cannot continue to enjoy the light and heat essential to their life for many million years longer, unless new sources, now unknown to us, are prepared in the great storehouse of Creation.
Page 168 - Influence of Conditions on the Changes occurring in Thorium It has been shown that in thorium compounds the decay of radioactivity with time is balanced by a continuous production of fresh active material. The change which produces this material must be chemical in nature, for the products of the action are different in chemical properties from the thorium from which they are produced. The first step in the study of the nature of this change is to examine the effects of conditions upon its rate.
Page 1 - ... enquiry. In this book the experimental facts of radio-activity and the connection between them are interpreted on the disintegration theory. Most of the phenomena observed can be investigated in a quantitative manner, and prominence has been given to work of this character, for the agreement of any theory with the facts, which it attempts to explain, must ultimately depend upon the results of accurate measurement. The value of any working theory depends upon the number of experimental facts it...
Page 326 - ... radium per gram of clay. This has been calculated to be not greatly different from the amount of radium necessary in the earth to emit sufficient heat to compensate for the loss by conduction and radiation. On the basis of this Rutherford...