RUTHERFORD'S EXPERIMENT

Greymouth Evening Star, 16 May 1934, Page 8

RUTHERFORD'S EXPERIMENT

FIRST SUCCESS IN PUBLIC

LONDON. March If). Lord Rutherford made a number of fascinating experiments when addressing the Royal Institution on Sai urday on the modern version of ill • old Alchemists’ problem—the transmutation of matter. “We have a. general knowledge of the mode, of transformation of radio active bodies,” lie said, “but it is exceedingly unlikely, when we consider lhe complexity of the nucleus system, that we can hope to gain any very detailed knowledge at any rate for a very long time. The nucleus, excessively minute as it is, controls the whole atom, both its chemical and physical properties.” With complicated apparatus, Lord Rutherford showed neutrons from beryllium passing through paraffin and causing what he said could only l be called “knock-ons” when they collided with a nucleus. Later, with a tiny alpha ray tube and a cap of aluminium, Lord Ruther-

ford showed that after bombardment with alpha particles aluminium has radio active properties. So sensitive was the delicate apparatus which he used that the effect of the cosmic ray bombardment —which, he said, came continually through the roof, through the audience and through everything e lse —had to be taken into account. First lie counted the cosmic ray eff( cl which gave 42 imparls per min tile. 'Phe aluminium after bombard mem gave IG3 impacts, showing there had been 121 position collisions. Aller six minutes he repealed tile experiments, and the aluminium

showed no result, demonstrating that the radio active effect had ceased. Lord Rutherford then looked up with a. smile and said: “That is the first time l have been able io show this experiment. | have been jmsi as interested as I hope you have berm.”