Page:Collected Physical Papers.djvu/200

Fatigue of the Receiver.—I wished to trace the gradual appearance of fatigue in the Ag′ receiver, and for this purpose kept it acted on with slight intermissions for nearly 3 hours. At the end of that time it began to show unmistakable signs of fatigue. Fig. 37 shows

Fig. 37. Fatigue and reversal in the Ag′ receiver. Thick lines represent the effect of radiation, and dotted lines the recovery. Observe in the first three records the incomplete recovery and increasing fatigue. In the fourth, there is produced a reversal (a diminution of resistance instead of the normal increase).

the effect when the radiator was at a distance of 20 cm.; the deflections were now only twenty-one divisions, whereas before this the deflection was thirty-three divisions with the radiator at the increased distance of 25 cm. Formerly the recovery commenced immediately on the cessation of radiation, now there was a short period of hesitation and then it began to recover somewhat slowly. The extent of recovery also grew less and less, add at last the receiver suddenly exhibited the reversal effect, by showing a diminution of resistance.

A parallel instance under the continued action of light will be demonstrated later.