LIBERATION OF ELECTRONS 
309 
EXPECTED MAGNITUDE OP LIBERATED CHARGE. 
In this connection it is of value to deal mimerically with the 
question as to the magnitude of the charge that might he ex- 
pected to he liberated hy the change of state. In the light of 
present knowledge of electrons there are reasons for assuming 
that in a conductor at least one free electron exists for every 
atom. (See Jeans, Electricity and Magnetism, Second Edition, 
p. 545.) If in the change from a conductor to an insulator hy a 
change of state the free electrons disappear hy escaping from 
the parent matter entirely, rather than hy recomhination with 
the positive residues distributed throughout the mass of matter, 
we should look for a liberated charge corresponding to one 
free electron for every atom. Eeferring to the present experi- 
ment we are therefore justified in considering a libera tion of 
at least one free electron for every ten atoms. We proceed with 
computations as follows: 
No. atoms per gr-atom any element 6.02x10^® 
Atomic weight of selenium 79 
For selenium there are 7.6x10^^ atoms/gr. 
7.6x10^^ atoms/gr. X 0.01136gr =8.6336x10^® atoms. 
Assuming 1 free electron for 
each 10 atoms, n=8.6336xl0^® electrons 
Total charge is ne (e=4.65xl0-“e.s.u.) =-4.0146x10® e. s. u. 
Since 3xl0®e.s.u-l coulomb, we have 1.3 coulombs 
Considering the small capacity of the electroscope, this charge 
of 1.3 coulombs, or even a very small fraction of it, could not 
have escaped notice. 
CONCLUSION. 
With a choice of metallic selenium as a suitable substance for 
experimentation, there is found no experimental evidence that 
matter either liberates or absorbs electrons during processes in- 
cident to a change from the conducting to the non-conducting 
state. 
The result of the experiment throws emphasis upon the theory 
of recombination between ‘‘free” electrons and parent atoms in 
metallic conductors, which process must be supposed to take 
place in a manner somewhat similar to the known recombination 
following after ionization of gases. Initial conceptions of “free 
electrons” in metallic conductors rather inclined to the view 
that they are permanently free, as far as the individual atoms 
in the metallic masses are concerned, although retained within 
