An analogy between electrical waves and X-rays

✍ Scribed by G.F.S.

• Publisher: Elsevier Science
• Year: 1923
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 65 KB
• Volume: 195
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0016-0032
• DOI: 10.1016/s0016-0032(23)90191-2

✦ Synopsis

About a third of a century ago, when Hertz's demonstration of the actual existence of those electrical waves predicted by Maxwell, was still so recent that the wonder of it was still und,ulled by familiarity, it was no uncommon experience to meet in the periodical literature of physics some new proof that the new waves comported themselves in the same manner as light waves. Their reflection, refraction and interference were thus established. Then came the discovery of the X-rays and the battle between the conflicting views as to their nature. It is now known that they are light waves of extremely short length. For a long time it seemed impossible to reflect them from a surface. Now it is known that the surface of a crystal does this, and does it because within it are arranged layer after layer of atoms and electrons in regular order, though in fact diffraction is the real cause. This paper shows that the same effects are obtained when electrical waves enormous in comparison with X-rays are allowed to fall upon an artificial crystal. The elements are hollow copper cylinders, 12 ram. long and 3 ram. in diameter. Several of these are hung at equal intervals on a vertical thread. A sheet is formed by placing many such threads in the same plane and, finally, the crystal is made by placing several sheets parallel to one another and at equal distances. The electrical waves are