particle. This is borne out by the recent discovery that the particle expelled from radium, freed from the ordinary β rays, and also from polonium, is accompanied by a number of slowly moving and consequently easily absorbed electrons. If two negative electrons escaped at the same time as the α particle, the residue would be left with a positive charge and would be carried to the negative electrode. There is also another experimental point which is of importance in this connection. In the absence of an electric field, the carriers remain in the gas for a considerable time and undergo their transformation in situ. There is also some evidence (section 227) that, even in an electric field, the carriers of the active deposit are not swept to the electrode immediately after the break up of the emanation, but remain some time in the gas before they gain a positive charge. It must be remembered that the atoms of the active deposit do not exist as a gas and by the process of diffusion would tend to collect together to form aggregates. These aggregates would act as small metallic particles, and, if they were electro-positive in regard to the gas, would gain a positive charge from the gas.
There can be little doubt that the processes occurring between the break up of the emanation and the deposit of the residue in the cathode in an electric field are complicated, and further careful experiment is required to elucidate the sequence of the phenomena.
Whatever view is taken of the process by which these carriers obtain a positive charge, there can be little doubt that the expulsion of an α particle with great velocity from the atom of the emanation must set the residue in motion. On account of the comparatively large mass of this residue, the velocity acquired will be small compared with that of the expelled α particle, and the moving mass will rapidly be brought to rest at atmospheric pressure by collision with the gas molecules in its path. At low pressures, however, the collisions will be so few that it will not be brought to rest until it strikes the boundaries of the vessel. A strong electric field would have very little effect in controlling the motion of such a heavy mass, unless it has been initially brought to rest by collision with the gas molecules. This would explain why the active matter is not deposited on the cathode at low pressures in an electric field. Some direct evidence of a
