right angles to the plane of the paper, so as to bend the secondary rays from the platform towards the electroscope, the rate of discharge was much increased. On reversing the field, the effect was much diminished. Since the γ rays are not themselves deflected by a magnetic field, this result shows that the secondary radiation is quite different in character from the primary rays, and consists of electrons projected with a velocity (deduced from the penetrating power) of about half the velocity of light. We have already pointed out that the emission of electrons from a substance traversed by the rays will account
Table of Contents
CHAPTER IV. NATURE OF THE RADIATIONS.
212