The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-09-23
WONDERFUL CONCLUSIONS
WIN FROM RADIO=AC7YVITl
Discussion of THE Ne Knoaledge of Mater-7Ae Breaking
Up of The Atom and Some of the Mometows Consequences
Is0ozved-7Ae Sun May Not Be Going into e.. +.
q Decline Aftey Ill.,
Photo by Boetcher & Blakemore.

thousandth the size Of those constituting
the alpha rays. In every particular,
save that Of velocity, the beta rays re-
semble corpuscles of candle flames and
discharge inside of Crookes tubes.
"FEhe beta rays fly faster, for they
reach the enormous average velocity Of
more than one hundred thousand miles
second. We have here not an analogy
nor a similarity, but an identity. The
beta rays from radium are corpuscles,
for they possess the same properties
and in the same degree within the linn
its of experimental error. What won
looking little pinch Of white salt not
SO different in it's general properties
from ordinary table salt, and yet pos
sessed of special properties utterly be-
yond even the fanciful imaginings Of
men of past time! = L.. ...,.-.. -.
Of the gamma rays we know little,
but have every reason to conclude that
they are identical with X-rays. Thus
we find in the emanations from radium
electrified matter-but with an enor-
nous difference. Radio-activity is a
natural intrinsic property. The positive
ions, the corpuscles and the X-rays
arise from candle flames, red hot metals
or electrified vacuum tubes-all Of them
substances or mechanisms under very
special conditions.
The Becquerel ray from radium, on
the contrary, arise from substance
dug out Of the ground which will emit
them, apparently for centuries in the
future as it has emitted them ap-
parently thru the countless cen
turtles Of the past, without any extrin-
sic influence. It is their natural intrin-
sic property new property OF matter
-radio-activity. -. .,s
Breaking Up the Atom. III
Wonders succeed to wonders as the
meaning Of these new discoveries crowd
upon us. Let us take another phase Of
the subject. Radium, with an atomic
weight of 225, is the heaviest of all the
clements save uranium and thorium.
Helium, with an atomic weight of 4, is
the highest of all, save only hydrogen.
Now, nine years ago it was predicted
that if atoms are really systems Of cleo
irons Cor corpuscles, which seem to be
convertible terms), we must sometimes
| find such a system in the act Of break
ing up. Further, it was predicted that
the breaking up would occur in some
element Of great atomic weight that has
the most Complicated arrangements Of
| electrons to form its atom. It is esti
mated that it takes 10000 electrons in
orbital motion to form a single radium
atom. Therefore it is infinitely more
likely for radium to decompose than fol
hydrogen, with it's atomic weight of
and its 700 electrons, since the most
complex machinery is the most likely tt
break down.
The facts have exactly borne out thu
/ prophecy. There is nothing, it might b.
incidentally noted, which establishes 81
| firmly tho fa of tho 81 oh i1i4r, o,,1 how
mony Of the new. knowledge as the pro
phetic faculty with which it endows it
professors. But to the proof:
4 1t you confne radium in spintheri
scope and wait little there appears il
the tube minute quantity Of ga
which was not there before. The spec
trum Of this gas is quite different from
that Of any known substance. Blu
1 wait four weeks longer. Then this un
dunn emanation ~ will be found t
i have changed into the well known ga
helium.
Now, radium is an element. Heliu1
I is an element. So here the astonishin
fact is established that certain ele
! ments uranium and thorium share til
property with radium) which have q
much right to the title Of elements a
A W.
) with perfect right to the title. Ce
], tain of these transmitted elements hav
: but a brief span Of existence and al
: but halfway stages to some final proc
ucts of decomposition.
The dream Of the alchemist Of th
: middle ages has been realized, the pr
: liphecy of the chemist Of last centur
I has been fulfilled.
Says Professor Duncan today: ttW
! believe that the alchemists were RICH
} that matter is not only transmutabl
!: but transmitting. and this without til
aid Of any philosopher q stone, diabol
influences, or even the modern appl
9 ances of scientific laboratory. Ma,
I in spite Of them; for, apparently, 4
!. human effort can either aid or hindt
Z this process. It seems to be the ver
9 symbol Of inevitability
8 Radium is ever giving out a lare
: quantity Of those rays, which we ca
0 heat. Whatever the temperature Of i
: surroundings it is always a little hottie
n $50 powerful is this action says
i, w. Saleeby, an English rival to Pr
e lessor Duncan, g that if you could oil
Itain sufficient supply Of radium-
!. probably half pound would be quit
1 /! enough--it would keep room war;
+ i, III merely d11rino v0r1r 1ifotin q h,