The Size and Shape of the Electron

Abstract

In this paper it is pointed out that Sir J. J. Thomson's explanation of the fluorescent absorption of X-rays on the basis of incident radiation consisting of short double pulses, taken in connection with Moseley's law relating atomic number and the wave-length of characteristic X-radiation, leads to Owen's experimental law for the fluorescent absorption of moderately soft X-rays, namely that $\frac{\tau }{\nu }=K{N}^4{\lambda }^3$, $\frac{\tau }{\nu }$ being the atomic fluorescent absorption coefficient, $N$ the atomic number, $\lambda$ the wave-length of the incident radiation, and $K$ a constant. Thus, though Thomson's explanation cannot be considered complete, it affords a provisional theoretical basis for Owen's law which has heretofore been lacking.