Low Voltage Arcs in Diatomic Gases. I. Hydrogen, Nitrogen, and Iodine

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Abstract
Low-voltage Arcs in Hydrogen, Nitrogen, and Iodine Vapor.—After a general review of the previous experimental results and theoretical suggestions, (1) current-voltage curves obtained with a simple two-electrode tube are described. Precautions were taken to insure pure gases. The breaking potential was always the ionizing potential of the gas, 16.3, 16.2, and 14.6 volts, respectively, for the three gases. The striking potential was greater than the breaking one by an amount which increased with the pressure and with increasing cathode filament temperature. In dissociated hydrogen, maintained at a high temperature within a thin tungsten cylinder heated electrically, an arc was readily maintained at the ionizing potential of the atom, 13.7 volts, and under very favorable conditions, at the radiating potential, 10.0 volts. In dissociated iodine vapor, the arc was maintained at 12.1 volts and under certain conditions at the ionizing potential, 10.2 volts. Nitrogen was not appreciably dissociated in the furnace. The critical potentials given above agree with the best previous results within ± 0.2 volt as a rule. Those associated with the atom are experimentally distinguished from those associated with the molecule.

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