Open AccessA determination of the variation of the mass of the electron with velocity, using homogeneous β-rays.—Preliminary results
Publication year - 1925
Publication title -
proceedings of the royal society of london. series a, containing papers of a mathematical and physical character
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2053-9150
pISSN - 0950-1207
DOI - 10.1098/rspa.1925.0133
Subject(s) - electron , homogeneous , physics , radiation , cathode , variation (astronomy) , theory of relativity , computational physics , research object , atomic physics , classical mechanics , optics , nuclear physics , statistical physics , chemistry , astrophysics , regional science , geography
Since the pioneer experiments of Kaufmann many investigations have been made to test the variation of the mass of the electron with velocity, with the object of distinguishing between the classical and relativistic mechanics. However, the number of distinct methods employed is not large, and they may be divided into two classes, according to whether cathode rays from a discharge tube, or the faster natural β-radiation from the radio-active substances were used. Of the experiments with cathode rays, few have reached the very high degree of precision necessary, since the velocity of the electrons in this case is comparatively small (up to a half that of light), and the various theories approximate to each other. In more recent years the accuracy has been increased considerably by the special methods employed by Guye in collaboration with Lavanchy and Ratnowsky, and their results form a confirmation of the theory of relativity.