Alkali Metals
In the following investigations the radiator is a platinum sphere 9.7 mm. in diameter. The coherer was placed at a short distance, so that the intensity of incident radiation was fairly strong.
Potassium.—In working with this metal, the exceptional nature of the reaction became at once evident. The effect of radiation was to produce an increase of resistance. The pressure of contact was adjusted till a current flowed through the galvanometer, the galvanometer spot of light being at one end of the scale. On subjecting the receiver to radiation the spot of light was deflected to the opposite end, exhibiting a great increase of resistance. When the pressure and E. M. F. were suitably adjusted a condition was soon attained, when a flash of radiation made the spot of light swing energetically in one direction, indicating an increase of resistance: the receiver recovered instantaneously on the cessation of radiation, and the spot violently swung back to the opposite end, indicating the normal current that flows in the circuit. This condition was found to persist, the receiver uniformly responding with an increase of resistance followed by automatic and instantaneous recovery. To prevent oxidation, the receiver was kept immersed in kerosene. When the receiver was lifted from the protecting bath, it still continued to respond with an increase of resistance, but with a gradual loss of power of automatic recovery. This power was again restored on re-immersion of the coherer in kerosene. The receiver in vacuo, or under reduced hydrogen pressure, would have been preferred, had the necessary appliances been available,
