|
The Rhodes Effect
From: "WILLIAM A. RHODES" <warlab@aztecfreenet.o*rg> For want of a better name, lets call it THE RHODES EFFECT. This experiment will lead you astray. It is completely bewildering. Here is what it does followed by a description of the simple setup required for observations. (This is NOT the HALLWACHS photo-electric effect.) Your source will be a candle, alcohol lamp or small heater coil. The ion detector was borrowed from my Nuclear Rate Meter patent of Jan l968, #3, 363,l76 titled Reflection Reading Nuclear Electroscope. Seeing the patent drawing will show how the vanes are made and supported. However, there is an even simpler way explained later. Ions are present in rising gases but DO NOT move horizontally for any appreciable distance. There is something besides light or ions here. A small open Nichrome coil glowing dull red produces the emissions. They do not behave like ions. Neither do they behave like light or any particulate forms of emission. In subdued light, the setup will allow you to watch how the radiation bends around opaque objects of metal or transparent plastics to discharge the detector vanes. Such observations becomes uncommon when a metal or non-metal screen is inserted between the source and vanes. Such screens should be 1/4" or 3/8" x 12" square galvanized hardware cloth. (More on this later.) The room should be darkened enough to limit vane illumination just enough to observe them, but is unnecessary. Without any screen barriers between the source and vanes, approximately 12" away, the vanes will be rapidly discharged. When any screening material is inserted between source and vanes, discharge will proceed around its vertical edge at no more than about 30 degrees. That is the dilemma. Pushing the hardware cloth screen far enough to block discharging, finds the vanes still illuminated from the source, whatever the emissions consist of does not pass through the screen, but the vanes discharge anyway. Experiments not done would be to choose screens with gradually larger mesh until the vanes respond to direct radiation from the source. The strange emission is present in blue and yellow flames and heater wires. Also, wiring together the metal tube of an alcohol lamp wick and the metal sheet or screen, then grounding one or both, effects nothing. Applying high voltage to them has not been done. It's a though the radiation exists in two worlds. One, electrical discharge of the vanes, the other completely unaware of electrical interference with a metal sheet or grid -- grounded or ungrounded. Observers have been numerous, many with years of experience in physics. No two agreed on anything. They were all puzzled. Many thought they had the answer, but all failed the test. One said he could show that emissions could being blown away by air movement, excepting for convection the air was motionless. Let's prove it. A vacuum cleaner blowing high velocity air was blown parallel with the screen with the vacuum hose attached to the blowing end. A special 8" wide nozzle made of Plexiglas, formed a narrow slit for issuing air. Separation is about midway between source and vanes, with its air slot adjusted about 1" away from the screen plane, on the source side. All previous experiments were made with this setup, showing emission dependency on static air invalid. All positions of the screen provided identical effects on the vanes as before. ----------------------------------------------------------------- ELECTROSCOPE THE EASY WAY Obtain a square of 3/4" board material, any small dimensions. Get a dowel rod, half inch diameter X 12" long. Drill a hole in the board small enough to pound the dowel in. A small diameter vane support rod can be of plastic, or wood if it can be coated with Silicone, or paraffin. Drill a hole near the upper end of the dowel rod, and push the small rod in. Clean cut a strip of the thinnest aluminum foil 12" long X half inch wide. Do not wrinkle. Center it over the horizontal rod, and carefully squeeze together around the rod. The two halves must be close together, but no clinging to themselves. THE CHARGER Teflon and Wool have the greatest differential static voltage of all materials, when rubbed together. A short piece of Teflon rod with one swipe across your wife's robe, will cause the vanes to spring apart. If wool isn't available, then try other garment or rug material. They all work with Teflon. William A. Rhodes, Physicist. And above all... -=*=-<Fly Free In The Frowning Face Of Convention>-=*=- See also
Index created by Sterling
D. Allan Aug. 9, 2004 |
|
|
