properties of becquerel rays
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Henri Becquerel tried to expose potassium uranyl sulphate crystals to sunlight and then placed them on photographic plates wrapped in black paper, believing that the uranium 238 absorbed the sun’s energy and then emitted it as X-rays. This hypothesis was disproved and his experiment "failed" because it was overcast in Paris on the day of the experiment. For some reason, Becquerel decided to develop his photographic plates anyway. To his surprise, the images were strong and clear, proving that the uranium emitted radiation without an external source of energy such as the sun. He had discovered radioactivity.
Becquerel showed that the radiation he discovered could not be X-rays because X-rays are neutral and cannot be deflected by a magnetic field. The new radiation was deflected by a magnetic field - turned out to be alpha particles with a very long half life - showing that the radiation must be charged. Additional work on thorium and polonium yielded the familiar three types of radiation, alpha, beta and gamma.
Becquerel showed that the radiation he discovered could not be X-rays because X-rays are neutral and cannot be deflected by a magnetic field. The new radiation was deflected by a magnetic field - turned out to be alpha particles with a very long half life - showing that the radiation must be charged. Additional work on thorium and polonium yielded the familiar three types of radiation, alpha, beta and gamma.
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