- tion into air, by a method similar to that employed by Loschmidt[1]
in 1871, in his investigations of the coefficient of inter-diffusion of gases.
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Fig. 56.
Fig. 56 shows the general arrangement. A long brass cylinder AB, of length 73 cms., and diameter 6 cms., was divided into two equal parts by a moveable metal slide S. The ends of the cylinder were closed with ebonite stoppers. Two insulated brass rods, a and b, each half the length of the tube, passed through the ebonite stoppers and were supported centrally in the tube. The cylinder was insulated and connected with one pole of a battery of 300 volts, the other pole of which was earthed. The central rods could be connected with a sensitive quadrant electrometer. The cylinder was covered with a thick layer of felt, and placed inside a metal box filled with cotton wool in order to keep temperature conditions as steady as possible.
In order to convey a sufficient quantity of emanation into the half-cylinder A, it was necessary to heat the radium slightly. The slide S was closed and the side tubes opened. A slow current of dry air from a gasometer was passed through a platinum tube, in which a small quantity of radium compound was placed. The emanation was carried with the air into the cylinder A. When a sufficient quantity had been introduced, the stream of air was stopped. The side tubes were closed by fine capillary tubes. These prevented any appreciable loss of gas due to the diffusion, but served to keep the pressure of the gas inside A at the pressure of the outside air. The three entrance tubes into the cylinder, shown in the figure, were for the purpose of initially mixing the emanation and gas as uniformly as possible.
- ↑ Loschmidt, Sitzungsber. d. Wien. Akad. 61, II. p. 367, 1871.
