Thus the negative acts more readily than the positive ion as a centre of condensation. The greater effect of the negative ion in causing condensation has been suggested as an explanation of the positive charge always observed in the upper atmosphere. The negative ions under certain conditions become centres for the formation of small drops of water and are removed to the earth by the action of gravity, while the positive ions remain suspended.
With the apparatus described above, it has been shown that the positive and negative ions are equal in number. If the expansion is large enough to ensure condensation on both ions, the drops formed on the right and left of the vessel in Fig. 7 are equal in number and fall at the same rate, i.e. are equal in size.
Since the ions are produced in equal numbers from a gas electrically neutral, this experiment shows that the charges on positive and negative ions are equal in value but opposite in sign.
36. Charge carried by an ion. For a known sudden expansion
of a gas saturated with water vapour, the amount of water
precipitated on the ions can be calculated readily. The size of the
drops can be determined by observing the rate at which the cloud
settles under the action of gravity. From Stokes' equation, the
terminal velocity u of a small sphere of radius r and density d falling
through a gas of which the coefficient of viscosity is μ is given by
u = (2/9)(dgr^2/μ),
where g is the acceleration due to gravity. The radius of the drop and consequently the weight of water in each drop can thus be determined. Since the total weight of water precipitated is known, the number of drops present is obtained at once.
This method has been used by J. J. Thomson[1] to determine the charge carried by an ion. If the expansion exceeds the value 1·31, both positive and negative ions become centres of condensation. From the rate of fall it can be shown that approximately the drops are all of the same size.
- ↑ Thomson, Phil. Mag. p. 528, Dec. 1898, and March, 1903. Conduction of Electricity through Gases, Camb. Univ. Press, 1903, p. 121.
