Abstract
RESEARCHES on ionisation and resonance potentials of mercury vapour and on its ultra-violet absorption in a non-luminous state, together with considerations from the serial type of the mercury spectrum, lead to the definite conclusion that in the absence of exciting agencies the spectral electron remains on the orbit 1S, the normal orbit of the atom of mercury. On the other hand, R. Dearle has shown the presence of a strong infra-red absorption band at λ=10140, and this fact has suggested the possibility of a second normal orbit in the mercury atom, namely, the orbit 2P. The corresponding ionisation and resonance potentials have, however, never been observed. This: problem induced us to make an absorption experiment with non-luminous mercury vapour in the infra-red region, using a photographic method which enabled us easily to reach λ=11300 Å. All the photographs showed complete absence of a marked absorption at λ=10140, although the pressure of mercury vapour reached 1 atm. The efficiency of the method having been established, the absence of a strong and characteristic absorption of λ=10140 by mercury vapour has been shown and the necessity for a second normal orbit is avoided.
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TERENIN, A. The Normal Orbit of the Electron in the Atom of Mercury. Nature 107, 203 (1921). https://doi.org/10.1038/107203c0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/107203c0
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