Abstract
WE have recently conducted at the National Physical Laboratory some experiments on the emission of electricity from a number of substances at very high temperatures—between 2000° C. and 2500° C. The experiments were carried out in a carbon-tube resistance furnace at atmospheric pressure. Among the substances tried were the alkaline earths and a number of metals. In every instance the temperature was sufficient to vaporise rapidly the substance under test, and, under these conditions, very large amounts of electricity were emitted. For example, barium oxide emitted negative currents of the order of 4 amperes per sq. cm., while boiling tin gave currents of about 2 amperes per sq. cm. No external potential was applied in any of the experiments.
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KAYE, G., HIGGINS, W. Electric Emissivity at High Temperatures. Nature 93, 189 (1914). https://doi.org/10.1038/093189b0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/093189b0
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