Effect of Electric Fields on the Decomposition of Ammonia by Alpha-Rays

Abstract

The following values have been obtained for the ion yields in the alpha‐ray decomposition of gaseous ammonia in the absence and presence of electric fields at 30°C and 100°C: $$\begin{array}{ccc}{30}^{\circ }\mathrm{C}& \mathrm{no\; field}& \text{1.37}\\ & \mathrm{half-saturation}& \text{1.17}\\ & \mathrm{full\; saturation}& \text{1.08}\\ & & \\ {100}^{\circ }\mathrm{C}& \mathrm{no\; field}& \text{2.42}\\ & \mathrm{half-saturation}& \text{2.06}\\ & \mathrm{full\; saturation}& \text{2.01}\end{array}$$ The results are interpreted upon the hypothesis that in a field sufficiently strong to produce half‐saturation, the ions are neutralized upon the plates without decomposition. If this hypothesis is correct, of the ion yield 1.37 at 30°C, 0.40 is the ion yield due to recombination of ions and 0.97 the ion yield due to other mechanisms. Similarly of the ion yield 2.42 at 100°C, 0.72 is the ion yield due to recombination of ions and 1.70 the ion yield due to other mechanisms. Possible mechanisms of that part of the reaction consequent on ion recombination and of that part of the reaction independent of ion recombination are discussed.