Excerpt from The Theory of Ionization of Gases by Collision

After studying the changes which take place in the conductivity of gases through which ions are passing under various conditions, I was led to propose the theory of ionization by collision to explain the development of currents in gases. The accuracy of the theory has been established by a large number of experiments specially arranged to measure conductivities which could be compared with the values obtained from theoretical considerations. The researches have brought to light the fact that ionization by collision takes place when comparatively small potential differences are established between electrodes in a gas at a suitable pressure, so that considerable multiplication of the ions may be obtained by this process with forty or fifty volts, and consequently with comparatively small velocities of the ions.

This is in marked contrast with the previously known cases of ionization produced by the motion of ions through a gas, where the velocity is always very high, sometimes approaching that of light. Such, for instance, is the case for the negative particles emitted by radioactive substances, or for the particles composing the cathode rays and the Lenard rays when the ions move with velocities that are acquired under the action of some thousands of volts.

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