310 



C. Barns — Behavior of the Phosphorus 



Art. XXY. — Note on the Behavior of the Phosphorus 

 Emanation in Spherical Condensers / by C. Barus. 



1. In my earlier experiments* it was assumed that condi- 

 tions could be so chosen (swift air current, highly active 

 ionizer, etc.), as to make the decay of ionization within the 

 medium a negligible factor. Such an assumption is naturally 

 precarious, and the following experiments with spherical con- 

 densers were planned with particular reference to the term 

 ignored. In using this apparatus, moreover, no ions can 

 escape, which is the case, for instance, with plate condensers. f 

 The results show, I think, that decay due to the mutual 

 destruction of the ions is not in evidence ; that on the con- 

 trary, the enclosed air at a distance from the phosphorus grid 

 behaves either as though it contains a greater number of ions 

 than those which reach it from the source, or otherwise, as if 

 in strong fields the number of ions is not as large as Ohm's 

 law requires. 



2. The closed spherical condenser was installed with its 



* Science, xi, 201, 1900; Pliys. Review, x, p. 257, 1900; This Journal, March, 

 1901. f Science, March, 1901. 



