Section 84 That the Value of the Absorption Constant λ for Lead Is 122

for the β rays from uranium. The value for the γ rays from radium varies between ·64 and ·44, showing that the γ rays are more than 200 times as penetrating as the β rays.

=107. Nature of the rays.= In addition to their great penetrating power, the γ rays differ from the α and β rays in not being deflected to an appreciable degree by a magnetic or electric field. In a strong magnetic field, it can be shown, using the photographic method, that there is an abrupt discontinuity between the β and γ rays, for the former are bent completely away from the latter. This indicates that, as regards the action of a magnetic field, there is no gradual transition of magnetic properties between the β and γ rays. Paschen has examined the γ rays in a very intense magnetic field, and, from the absence of deflection of these rays, has calculated that, if they consist of electrified particles carrying an ionic charge, and projected with a velocity approaching that of light, their apparent mass must be at least 45 times greater than that of the hydrogen atom.

It now remains for us to consider whether the γ rays are corpuscular in character, or whether they are a type of electromagnetic pulse in the ether similar to Röntgen rays. They resemble Röntgen rays in their great penetrating power and in their absence of deflection in a magnetic field. Earlier experiments seemed to indicate an important difference between the action of γ and X rays. It is well known that ordinary X rays produce much greater ionization in gases such as sulphuretted hydrogen and hydrochloric acid gas, than in air, although the differences in density are not large. For example, exposed to X rays, sulphuretted hydrogen has six times the conductivity of air, while with γ rays the conductivity only slightly exceeds that of air. The results obtained by Strutt, in this connection, have already been given in