
In this landmark work the author brings together the rapidly expanding knowledge of naturally radioactive substances into a single, coherent narrative. Written at a time when the phenomenon was still new, it explains how atoms of certain elements spontaneously break apart, linking countless experimental observations to a clear theoretical framework. The text balances rigorous physics with accessible explanations, guiding readers through the early discoveries that reshaped our view of matter.
The book devotes special attention to the ionization of gases, showing how radiation creates charged particles and how this effect can be measured with remarkable precision. Detailed chapters describe the experimental techniques that became the backbone of radio‑activity research, offering practical insight for anyone wishing to replicate early laboratory work. As both a historical record and a teaching tool, it remains a valuable window into the foundations of modern nuclear science.
Language
en
Duration
~20 hours (1167K characters)
Series
Cambridge physical series
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Richard Tonsing, David King, and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net. (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive.)
Release date
2021-03-04
Rights
Public domain in the USA.
Subjects

1871–1937
A farm boy from New Zealand who transformed our picture of the atom, he became one of the key figures in modern physics. His experiments revealed the atom’s tiny nucleus and helped open the door to nuclear science.
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