The Mystery of the Atom

Radio Record, Volume IV, Issue 26, 9 January 1931, Page 5

The Mystery of the Atom

Liberating Its Hidden Energy

THH fact that two German scientists have been making serious attempts to discover atomic energy is of especial interest to wireless investigators, because the science of wireless is based fundamentally on the behaviour of the atom and its electrons, Hence any attempts which are made to increase our knowledge of these units are likely to affect also the theory and practice of wireless. It will not be out of place, therefore, to relate exactly what atomic energy is and how scientists hope to obtain it. Most people are aware that all matter is composed of tiny units called atoms; a common brick, a star or a human being, all are built up of these tiny and invisible units, Using the Hidden Energy. "TOWARD the end of last century it was discovered that the atom itself contained still smaller unitsnamely, the now familiar electron, which appeared to revolve round a more or less stationary unit in the centre of the atom. This has been given the name proton. The speed of a rifle bullet depends largely upon the charge behind the bullet, and so it must be with the elec-tron-its speed must be the result of some tremendous force inside the atom -the force is certainly not supplied from outside. The discovery of the rapidly-moving electron was the first hint that science received of this so‘called atomic energy. When we use radium we are making use in a mild way of atomic energy, but radium is rare and expensive, so that the only hope of obtaining atomic energy on a large scale is to devise some method of exploding the ordinary. atom of matter, when it will discharge its electrons and give us abundant energy in the form of heat. Uranium is the most likely substance for our purpose, for it is brimful of latent radio-active energy, more so than radium... In addition, there is plenty of it in the world, and if we can explode its atoms in some way or even accelerate their rate of explosion (for uranium atoms do explode, only they take some thousands of years to

do so), then atomic energy will be plentiful. The Magnetic Method. HE point is, how are we to explode these ordinary atoms? The two German scientists, Lange and Brasch, hope to accomplish the feat by submitting the atom to a potential of 9 million volts from thunderstorms and atmospheric electricity generally. The electron and proton are both electrical in nature-they are more electrical than material-the electron being a negative charge and the proton a positive charge of electricity. It is the positive charge of the proton which holds the electron to its orbit, and prevents it from flying off into space like its radio-active brother. If then, in some way, the electric strain which holds these two together can be broken even for an instant, then the atom will split open, the electron will fly off at thousands of miles per second, and terrific heat will be generated. And what is»more likely to break this electric strain than the terrific potential tapped from a thunderstorm ?| -so, at least, believe the German scientists. When we consider that there are billions of atoms in any material the size of a pin-head, all containing electrons capable of generating terrific energy, then the extent of atomic energy will be appreciated. There is also the possibility that the electron in the atom may be _ torn from the proton by magnetic means, but this has already been tried unsuccessfully in the United States, while the thunderstorm method, with a potential of 9 million volts, has yet to be exploited. However, the magnetic method may again be attempted. The importance of the experiment to wireless, apart from the world in general, is that whatever happens, some new data concerning the atom and the electron are likely to be forthcoming. Of course, the investigators may even discover that there is no such thing as atomic energy and that the apparent high velocity of electrons inside the atom is not a demonstration of energy, but of something else

As a matter of fact, Professor Millikan, of cosmic-ray fame, has stated his disbelief in this energy, although the majority of scientists, such as Lodge, Rutherford, and Soddy,. have made positive suggestions regarding it. Should atomic energy be harnessed, however, it will cause a complete revolution to life on this planet. From the wireless point of view alone, we should be able to dispense with the most costly part of the transmitter or, receiver, namely the power supply. The atomic energy in a few pounds of uranium salts is sufficient to run all the motors and generators of a, station like Rugby for 20 or 30 years. All valve filaments would be coated, with radio-active deposit, and neither the low tension nor the high-tension batteries would be necessary on the wireless set. At the same time, atomic energy is not going to be of very much use to us if we have to brave the dangers of tapping a thunderstorm every time we require it. Some very much less difficult and dangerous method _ will have to be discovered, and the most we can hope for in the meantime is that the various attempts to break into the atom will throw some light on the behaviour of the electronsurely the most elusive and mysterious entity of our time.