The Washington herald., 1922-02-26
DISINTECRATION OF
ATOMS ACHIEVED
BY RADIUM RAYS
Prof. Rutherford Obtains
Hydrogen From Six
Elements.
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY %. Iszz.

cleiy OF London by Brof. Sir Ernest
Rutherford. OF Cavendish lzbors-
tory. Cambridge University. who has
gone farther than any other man
toward realizing the old dream OF
slchemists.
We are as far OF as ever from
the making of GoId out OF lead. but
experiments by Prof. Rutherford
have previously shown that IL is
trogen.
Prof Rutherford declared that
it is possible TO obtain hydro
gen from at least fve other ele-
ments. boron. huorine. sodium. alu-
minum and phosphorous.
These experiments have given us
an entirely new idea OF the struc-
ture OF the atom. As Prof. RUther-
ford says:
Since the development OF the
atomic theory on an experimental
basis by Dalton, the progress Of
chemNtry has been based on the
central idea Of the permanency and
inoiVisibility OF the atoms Of the
elements. The whole experience OF
chemistry for nearly a century had
shown clsrly that il was impossible
10 break up the atoms OF the elc-
ments by the application OF ordinary
chemical and physical processes
! This idea has had to be modified 10
some extent by the rapid growth or
our knowledge during the last
twenty years Of the inner constl-
tuition OF the atoms. IL in now
generally accepted that the atoms
or the dienrent elements have all
the same general type OF struc-
ture. At the center OF the atom
Is a positively charged nucleus Of
minutee dimensions which is re
sponsible for most of the mass
| OF the atom. This is surrounded bv
distribution Of electron held in
equilibrium by tho forces from the
nUcIeus
BY the action Of light and cleo
| tricsl discharges We can readily re-
move one or more Of the external
planetary electrons from the atom.
, while by the action OF N-rays We
may even eject one Of the more
strongly bound clectrons OF the
system. In this way We can effect
in sense a transformation Of the
atom. but il is merely a temporary
one and q new electron is soon cap
| tured from the outside and the atom
is as before. The general evidence
J indicates that even IL a number Gr
the planetary electrons were re-
moved by suitable agencies the sta
bilpy OF tho nucleus would not b..
disturbed and the atom would. in
short time. regain fits original
structure. In order to effect 2 per
msnent change in the atom il ap-
pears 10 be necessary to disrupt the
nucleus itself. When once q charged
unit Of the nucleus structure is re-
tered permanently and there IS no
evidence that this process is 70
Nersible under ordinary eNperimen-
tai conditions.
The discovery OF the instability
Of the Radioactive" elements was the
first severe shock to the idea OF the
permanency OF all atoms. This rs-
dating property is. however con
fined mainly TO the two heaviest
elements. uranium and thorium.
and their long series OF cendants
and is only shown by two other eie-
gents. potassium and rubidium. and
:, then only TO a minor extent. Apart
from these exceptions. the great
majority OF the atoms appear 20 be
highly stable structures and 20 re-
main unaltered under ordinary con
d!t'ons in this earth for periods Of
probably thousands of millions Of
years
The property Of radioactivity be
longs TO the nucleus and is shown
generally by the emission OF a swift
particle or helium nucleus and oc-
casionally a swift electron from the
nucleus. The number and velocity
Of emission of these particles sp-
pear TO be quite uninfuenced by The
most powerful physical or ChemicaI
agencies and to be an inherent
property resulting from the insta-
bility OF these very complex
nuclei
These results show clearly ths 4
th' nuclei Of heavy atoms contaih
both positively charged helium nuclei
, and negative electrons. and lead 10
the general view that the complex
nuclei OF all atoms are built up OF
hydrogen and helium nuclei and cleo
irons. IL is also generally supposed
that a helium nucleus itself is a sec
ondsry unit composed OF four hy-
drogen nuclei and two electrons IL
this be the case, we may suppose
. the nuclei ~ all atoms 20 he com
posed ultimately OF hydrogen nuclei.
: or protOns. as they have been termed
with the addition Of negative cleo
irons.
: lit is probable that the forces
which bind together the componenJs
Of the nucleus arc exceedingly pow
erful and thai consequently a large
= amount Of energy will be required
TO disrupt its structure. The swift
alpha particle from radium and tho
rum, which is by far the most con
! Centrated source Of energy known O."
; us. seems the most likely agent To
. succeed in an attack on the strongly
bound nucleus. The alpha particle
: is expelled from radium with a We
: Iocity Of about 10000 miles per sec
; ond and thus has a speed 90. OOa
times greater than that OF a swift
rife bullet. Mass for mass. its on
ergy Of motion is 10000. 900 tim"s'
greater than that of the bullet"
In investigating the disintcE.
I; tion of atoms. Prof Ruthcrf I'd
makes use Of the same phenon1cna
that arc displayed in the lumin"u-
-, watch dials made of a radiosC;lr -
> element bombardinG zinc sulphIdr
, He allows the particles projc, 'ri
: from radium nto bambard tn" c'"-
ment and then counts the numb.
. OF electrons or hydrogen atoms 'ha'
are knocked out by the flashes ih0'
E produce when they hit a screen or
= zinc sulphide.
" IF we had charged atoms ava =
[. able Of ten times the energy Of the
alpha particles OF radium. VIC could
n probably penetrate the nuc'car
structure Of all atoms and ocvI-
= sionallv effect their diSintePraffr-. 90