The daily silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1903-1907, 1903-07-11
THE MYSTERY OF RADlUM

A sentence or two may sufflce 70
define the wonderful revolution in
science by the discovery and study of
the new substance called radium; but
the comprehension of it surpasses the
power of the human mind almost as
far as that OF the ideas of eternity
and ininity. We are clearly on the
verge of the most marvellous and far
reaching discovery that science has
yet vouchsafed to man, n of the &C
QUESTION of knowledge bounded only
by the capacity of mans mind to re-
ceive il.
Professor Crookes, in Berlin, Profess
sors Lodge and Curie in London, and
Professor Ernest Rutherford of McGill
university, in Montreal, have each
given out the results, to some extent,
OF their Investigations of this newly
discovered substance.
Chemistry has become the astron-
omy of the infinistesimal. Instead Of
the atoms of elements consisting Of
invisible units of matter, as the old
theory taught, they are, We are now
told, each a whole sellar system of
infinitely smaller, but absolutely iden-
teal units. all in orbital motion.
A hydrogen atom consists of 700
such units, or ions an oxygen atom
1920, and an atom of gold 1877, 200.
The nature of identity OF each sub
stance depends upon the number Of
such ions contained in each atom.
The difference between all the myriad
objects in the universe, all the many
varying clements consists then in
simply a different number of identical
units combined in the atoms com-
posing them. For want of a better
term, the nature of these ions may
be described as electrical; in other
words, electricity and matter are one
and the same thing.
For two or thrre years this theory
has been familiar to scientific men.
The study of the Roentgen rays, or
"x-rays," suggested it; and now rad
ium not only seems to furnish a com
plete proof, but to carry the concep-
ton into a marvellous elaboration.
The experiments in ~radio-activity.
as conducted by Professor Rutherford
are not only exciting great interest
among physicists, but are going far
tn upset the equanimity of chemists.
BY these experiments it has been dem
oGstrated that the breakup of the
theorium atom is a very complicated
process, taking place in five distinct
stages, in all of which, except the last.
positively charged bodies-the social
ed x-rays-alone are LIBERATED. Thor
i'm, in other words, gives rise to
thorium K and arrays. Thorium K
gives out a gaseous emanation and
arrays. The gaseous emanation splits
up into arrays and a body capable of
ccnferring radio-activity. This body,
In turn, breaks up, giving out b-rays.
that is to say. negatively charged cleo
irons and also the so-called c-rays
leavig behind, it is assumed an atom
of ordinary matter.
The e-rays are, it appears, anaIog-
Gus TO the Roentgen rays, but have
extraordinary penetrating power, being
capable of passing through several
inches of iron and several feet OF
aluminium. The a-partic.es are emit
tee with a speed Of nearly one-tenth
that of light. the b-particles with a
speed between one-half that of light
and the speed Of light itself, while the
c-rays are actually light-waves of ex-
trSordinary shortness
Monsieur Curie, who discovered rad
ium, has shown in demonstrations at
tho Royal Institution in London, hat
radium spontaneously and continuous
disengages heat rapidly affects phot-
ographic plates. even through opaque
bodies. discharges an ~electroscope sim
liar to itself constant and even vio-
lent streams or radiations. In other
words. the 10000 ions which compose
each atom Of radium rotates SO VIC
iently that they fly apart into original