The Variation with the Density of Mercury Vapor of the Intensity of the Spectral Lines of Mercury Excited by Electron Impact

Abstract

The variation in the intensities of mercury lines with the abundance of mercury present was investigated experimentally both for mercury alone and for mercury vapor in a mixture with another gas. The source consisted of a normal low voltage arc and this source was used because it closely approximates the simple ideal source desired; namely, one in which electrons of definite and controlled energy are projected through a space containing mercury and possibly other atoms so that an electron may not make more than one exciting or ionizing collision in its passage through the gas. Tests indicated that the ideal conditions were closely approximated. Theoretical formulae were developed for the relationship between the intensities of the mercury lines and the density of the mercury vapor (abundance of mercury). The measured values were found to be in good agreement with those given by the formulae. The relation of this investigation to the practices of quantitative spectrochemical analysis is pointed out. An analytical curve for the determination of mercury in such mixtures as were employed can be gotten from the data and the equation of the curve can be derived from the formulae derived from the theory given.