Abstract
CONTINUING an earlier experiment1, we have measured the absorption of light by cæsium vapour in the presence of helium. We find that the addition of helium greatly reduces the absorption by cæsium, about 3 cm. of helium being sufficient to reduce it to half the value obtained for cæsium in vacuum. Frank2 and Mrozowski3 have shown that the continuous molecular absorption of mercury, zinc and cadmium vapours is proportional to P, where P is the vapour pressure and is a constant (for one wave-length). For different wave-lengths, lies between 1 and 2. Thus the absorption increases less rapidly than the molecular concentration. Their results may perhaps be explained if there is a reduction of absorption, due to collisions between atoms and molecules in the vapour, similar to the effect we have found in caesium and helium.
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DITCHBURN, R., BRADDICK, H. Absorption of Light in Gases. Nature 134, 935 (1934). https://doi.org/10.1038/134935b0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/134935b0
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