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The ionisation curve of an average α particle

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 October 2008

N. Feather  and
R. R. Nimmo
N. Feather
Affiliation:
Trinity College
R. R. Nimmo
Affiliation:
Clare College, 1851 Exhibition Scholar, University of New Zealand
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Extract

Photographs have been taken under controlled illumination of the tracks of α particles in a cloud expansion chamber and a calibration of the photographic plates employed has been carried out. Systematic photometry of the track images has made possible the calculation of the variation of the light scattering power of an α particle track over the last two centimetres of its length in standard air, and the variation of this quantity has been identified with the variation of ionisation along the track.

Photographs of tracks in air, helium and hydrogen have been examined. In these three gases the maximum ionising efficiency of the α particle occurs when it possesses the velocity respectively appropriate to the distances 3·0, 2·55 and 2·25 mms. from the end of its path in standard air. This common velocity parameter has been employed throughout the discussions which are appended to the experimental results.

Type
Research Article
Information
Mathematical Proceedings of the Cambridge Philosophical Society , Volume 24 , Issue 1 , January 1928 , pp. 139 - 149
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge Philosophical Society 1928

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References

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* ‘Standard air’ is used for dry air at 760 mms, of mercury and 15° C.Google Scholar

† This is not the same an the density after thermal equilibrium has been reached, for during this process water has evaporated from the walls of the chamber. The correction on this account was investigated and found to be appreciable only at lower pressures than were actually used.Google Scholar

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