'320 Dr. R. D. Kleeman on Disintegration of an Ion 



magnitude of the 



a previous paper. In the present case the 

 currents measured varied over a great range, and in order to 

 deal with them conveniently an air condenser was placed in 

 the circuit connecting the electrometer with the chamber so 

 that the capacity of the system could be varied in the ratios 

 of about from 1 to 9. When it was found necessary to 

 increase the capacity, the current was measured with and 

 without the condenser in the circuit for the same electric 

 field in order to obtain the factor necessary to reduce the 

 readings to the same scale. 



The Disintegration of Clusters through being bombarded 

 by Neutral Molecules. 



When the strength of the electric field is not sufficiently 

 great to assist in the disintegration of the clusters, the number 

 of clusters becoming free ions on their passage from gauze 

 to plate decreases as the field is increased. For the time the 

 clusters take in making this passage, during which they are 

 bombarded by neutral molecules, obviously decreases with 

 increase of field. The increase of current with increase of 

 electric field, supposing new ions are formed by collision of 

 free ions, would then be less than that obtained if no clusters 

 •ever became free ions. That such an effect exists, is shown by 



Ffe. 2. 



500 



600 700 



Volts psrcm. 



500 



600 700 



the curves in fig. 2. The curve A on the left-hand side of the 

 figure shows the relation between currents and electric field 



