Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1901-11-07
RADlUM, THE NEW LIGHT.


Radium Is the name Of n marvellous
new mineral with which Professor George
Il. pegram OF Columbia university is
experimenting. It's existence in the uni
verse was not suspected until recently.
Here are few amazing facts about it:
An ounce of radium is worth $50 900.
1t is the rarcst substance in the world.
Only Il few grains of free radum are in
existence.
Its light will bore through solid metal
plates and will make a photograph after
passing through a sheet of tin.
Fifty tons of pitch blonde treated chem
ically for three months would yield a few
grams of radium.
ltadium will give out light for an in
definite time without heat and with the
expenditure of no energy whatever.
From tiny quiet bit Of white radum
salt particles Of matter are constantly
shot off with the inconceivabe velocity Of
light. These particles have the quality
of light. Rarer still, they possess the
property of rendering other substances
capable of giving off light.
50 inhnitesimal arc the amounts Of This
substance yet mas>cd that few expert
mentors have ever actually seen a particle
OF radum. Nearly all work is carried on
with radium salt which is in effect the
metal uranium mixed with radium.
Radum light is simply light-it heats
nothing, it moves nothing.
4 plate six inches square covered with
radum would shine on indefinitely. At
the end of 5000 years it would have pro-
duced neat enough to raise the tcmpcra-
turo Of one gram Of water one degree CEN
tigradc.
Should enough radium ever b separat-
ed from it, compounds it ud reyolu-
tionze the lighting Of the universe. New
York city's lighting system. once installed
with radium lights, could be run forever
at the cost of the original plant.
Radium is found in pitch blende and
gold ores. Down in the deepest mine,
whore ray of sunshine has not pene-
trated for 10,000,OoO years, bit of ra-
dunn continues to give out its strange
light. 1t may be prepared in the DARK
and kept in the dark, and its radio actiy-
ity viii continue.
No other substance in the world shines
by its own light. Phosphoresccnt bodies
store mp sunshine and then give it off
gradually in minute quantities. The sup
ply is soon exhausted if the phosphoros-
cent body is shut away from the sun
rays. The frehuc comes nearer to bein;
an independent light plant. 1t derives
its pho~p horcS"ent properties from it's
food. This, however. in the last analysis
is derived from sunlight.
The various apparatus employed in the
Columbia university laboratory in expert
mcnts with radiUm are among the most
li"atc Instruments in scientific use.
+ The most decreasing machine, accord
t, a statement by Professor IIallocl
Dc "or .;t"e. Is ;uc one with which Pro-
/ ..." i't--. has measured the energy
! ;h, li=ht -itcn off by radum. 1t is
H lar 70 the ludiometer. 1t measures
'4i to an amount which is infnitcsinal-
! tai to the human mind. If a candle
! WrIe placed four feet in front of con
| cav" lNiifor two feet in diameter and al
/ lowed t. shine on it for twelve seconds
/ l-bS, 30. coo of the heat generated would
IeAcct the measuring apparatus Ii ,0OC
/ of Il foot.
ltadium will measure the heat of a
/ candle 5000 miles away. Professor
. Nio holS has treasured the heat of several
/ stars with it,
! lie instrue,ent consists Of two small,
disks Of mica suspended by spun glas,
threads from the two ends of a glas,
beam. The glass beam is adjusted t.
move on Il pivot. Both disks of mica ar,
covered with iampblack. enc is protect
ed from light. the ether is exposed The
whole apparatus is iucloscd in Il vacuum
Inside the vacuum is placed a little bit of
radium salt.
1hc radiuM gives out its light and the
heat which it generates causes IN cXpan-
sion Of the sir in front Of the exposed