The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-02-16
AbsOrptive


Absorptive power Is the opposite OF per-
reabsiity.
Apparently his experiments were limited.
IN the cate u solid bodies. 20 sheets few
thousandths OF az inch In thickness. al
though sheets somewhat thicker would have
beer pcrfa.able 10 a certain extent He
has shoAn, however. that the behavior OF
cathode rays varies somewhat with the
manner or circumstances OF their produc-
ton and IL Is quite possible that Roentgen
has ala upon a much more powerful method
OF producing them than Leonard used
Hence though Il is well 10 wait for fuller
details before accepting in fun the remark
AIDE stories of Roentgen's work. II would
b. rash To deny the possibility OF their
,rute Meanwhile a brief explanation of
the terms used la connection with his work
may be OF interest
Faeaaay. studying the galsanic cell some
sixty years ago. felt the need OF DEFINITE
short names f0T tive conductors hy which
the current 81 electricity. Go use the COM
ron phraees enters and leaves the cell
Taradays education. like that 81 Edison.
Was not obtained at school. aud ne knew
no Greek bat A learned friend furnished
him with the term "anude'' upward wiSe
Tor the conduetG. taking the current lnic
TIE CELL and cathode downward wayl
for that leading the current oot from the
cell The two together we're called Cleo
trofes
A few years later Faraday studied the
d{seharEa of electricity from one piece OF
metal 10 another across a space
containing rarened air within a glass Nes-
SCI. The pieces OF metal leading the cur
rent IN and out are called, as Ia the sai-
vanic cell, the anode and the csthoas re-
seeetlvsly. and Faraday observed. as 9th
ers had done. that the spark or brush or
slow occurring within the tube during tho
passage az electricity Yves not 81 The same
appearance az the two electrodes. lie sthd-
ifa the phenomena with care, and suggest
"a that the difference observed was due 10
a difference IN the state 81 polarity or elec-
trse charge of the gas in the nelghbnrhcod
o. the two electrodes. This suggestion Is
ky no means out Of date. a4tAuugh u can
hardly h. said that this or any other tAt-
ory 81 the matter has been generally ac~
espfcd as satisfactory
After Farnday came certain German ex-
periFaenters who made special study OF
similar effects Geissler made such ad-
sances in me apparatus used Tor showing
electric discharge In Tarefed air. subsd-
letting permanently sealed tubes with pia-
t,num electrodes for the comparatively
clumsy and iuconventent apparatus II bis
Predecessors that the term 'SetSsier
tube" soon became familiar In scientific
literature. Gelssier's improvements IN the
air pump enabled him % carry the rare
ecrrent IS usually driven through the
takes hy RuhmkoTff Induction coil.
which furnishes rapidly interrupted cur
feaf Ingenuity and mechanical skill were
iavishea anon the production 81 new forms
ans varieties az Geissisr tubes. containing
rsrered air oxygen, hydrogen. efc. each
showing iis peculiar kinds of light, an ot
them beautiful and most OF them mex
rliesble
ne i, -, or nearly ali Of then, the
cathode during action was surrounded az
snR-vow. c0iofiess or dark space outside,
which vas a glow Of blue or violet liEht.
The snace around the anode and tho
greater part % the whole tube we've also
generally luminous. but IN different AMI
Tar less clearly defined manner. II was
evident TOO. that mere heat was gener-
stea At or near ths cathode than else
Nasre ln the tu3se The cathode. therefore.
sscame ere center 81 isiterest
N was a common thing - uss IN the
farstruttlep - Getssiar tubes n kind 80
sAss Gated uranium glass. wnlch has the
ferHiaritv OF Swing oug greeuiSh light
saen exposed "a rays - light containing
y Hreau whatever. ThfS ksna - ef,ct.
sssa IS Shown tn soase form oy yari0as
eiaer substances fuor-Spar fey Instance.
eaNea T0orescence. Il was observed
'aaf fhe Influence. whatever x might D..
IA especially produced fiu1rescence Pa
ee3>sleE tahes came frem the cathode 1t
"a observed tao that tais influence In
very hlgHiy rRreia6 tubes appeared 70
eesae along sgsawNt Hues fTozn the
eslaeie, a1s So tbe term ~catAosis rays
sHlne Inio use. being ssFEeste.s. * course,
- re fsrn ight rays. although il was
- 10 means certain that re cathode rays
eere rays az lirht
tn1eest. W5stam CTSckcs. a DISTINGUISHED
fs1sh chemist. the Inventor of the iseau-
va ae6 Interesting scientific toy called
NE raslenseyer or lEaG mtb aiNanyed tAe
e21ioa thaf ere se-caltef catszta ravS
@eTe Particles q matter. in what b. called
sc 'astva easroas+ state. projected N
statsAt 1laes fregn the cathode HTs1n
eess SOLDERING parts Il tAc apparatus.
tSe0kes, Nao e. a usn q swat exneri-
leaiA} resnErces, devised usw farrss 80
safaratus 90 SAGA extraordinary Interest
"a tae term Creaksr t.lh has now In
taar
- thoash ihs issht Feneyaftd ia a raTs-
~ sas. 90 IA . egoTxseeal substance With