Radiation Potentials of Atomic Hydrogen

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Abstract
Atomic hydrogen was produced by thermal dissociation of molecular hydrogen with a tungsten furnace which could be maintained at 2800°K during observations. Electrons were emitted from an equipotential oxide coated platinum rod thrust into the furnace. Radiation was excited by electrons falling through an accelerating difference of potential between the rod and the equipotential tungsten cylinder forming the wall of the furnace, and was detected by its photoelectric action on a platinum disk placed beyond the open end of the furnace. This disk was shielded from ions produced in the furnace by an intervening set of charged plates. Radiating potentials were observed at 10.15, 12.05, 12.70, 13.00, 13.17, 13.27 volts, with additional radiation at the ionizing potential 13.54 volts. Within the probable error of the observations, less than 0.05 volt, the agreement with the Lyman spectral series and with the Bohr theory is exact.