Paper, 'On an effect produced by the passage of an electric discharge through pure nitrogen' by J J [Joseph John] Thomson and R [Richard] Threlfall

Description

Thomson and Threlfall write: 'In the course of some experiments which we have been engaged with for some time past, on the temporary increase in the volume of a rarefied gas which takes place when an electric discharge passes through it (De la Rue and Müller, “Phil. Trans.,” 1880), we found that the passage of the spark always produced permanent as well as temporary effects when the gas was nitrogen and when the pressure was less than that due to 20 mm. of mercury. The experiments described below were undertaken to clear up this point, and from them we have drawn the following conclusions:— 1. That when a succession of electric sparks of the proper kind is sent through a sealed discharge-tube containing nitrogen at a low pressure (less than 20 mm. of mercury), a permanent diminution in the volume of the nitrogen takes place, which reaches a maximum, after which the passage of sparks of the same kind produces no permanent effect upon the volume.'

Annotations in pencil and ink. Includes one page of figures of experimental apparatus.

Subject: Chemistry / Physics / Electricity

Received 13 April 1886. Read 6 May 1886.

A version of this paper was published in volume 40 of the Proceedings of the Royal Society as 'On an effect produced by the passage of an electric discharge through pure nitrogen'.

Reference number

PP/8/22

Earliest possible date

1886

Physical description

Ink and graphite pencil on paper

Page extent

15 pages

Format

Manuscript
Drawing