Tube again tested.
The iodine-tube was subsequently again tested, and it lighted-up better than on the last occasion, showing nearly the same effects in bulbs and capillary, the former having somewhat of a rosy tint and the latter an amber.
Magnet effects. The spectrum described. Change when magnet was excited.
On exciting the magnet, the capillary part of the tube changed from amber to a decided light green. The spectrum, without the magnet, gave one very bright line, and several less bright ones near, in the blue-green. The rest of the spectrum, with the exception of the absorption-spaces, was misty and continuous, with lines showing faintly through. The red and yellow portions of the spectrum were quite bright. When the magnet was excited, the spectrum entirely changed. The red and yellow portions of the spectrum, and the misty continuous light, all quite disappeared; while a set of sharp lines on the yellow-green and green flashed up bright and clear, and stood out alone upon a dark background, in which the absorption-spaces were lost. The effect was very strongly marked, and gave a totally different character to the appearance of the spectrum. The change seemed to arise from the suppression of one part of the spectrum, and the increase in intensity of the lines in the other part.
No change in line-position.
The principal lines could not be traced to change in actual position.
This tube differing somewhat from a second one we examined (No. 2) in tint of glow and spectrum, it suggested itself to us that there might be a partial mixture of N or H (or both) with the iodine vapour, giving rise to some of the brighter parts of the spectrum which were extinguished under the action of the magnet.
Comparison of iodine-tubes No. 1 and No. 2. Comparison of the spectra.
We therefore compared these two tubes, viz. the old one (No. 1) and the new one (No. 2), and also their spectra, by means of a comparison-prism on the slit of the spectroscope. To the eye, the tubes differed much in appearance. No. 1 had a distinct transparent rosy tint throughout, with considerable coarse flickering stratification; and this contrasted strongly with the dense whitish light of tube No. 2, which showed neither movement nor stratification. The spectra were also found different in general look. That of tube No. 1 was strongly tinged in the red and yellow, and showed a bright continuous spectrum, crossed by many sharp lines, with little trace of absorption-spaces. The spectrum of No. 2 was much whiter in tint, showed very little of the red and yellow, and the absorption-spaces were very dark. A few bright lines, mainly in the yellow-green and green, were faintly seen.
The two tubes examined in detail. No. 2.