AIR IONS AND CHARGED PARTICLES Although studies of atmospheric electricity started in the middle of the eighteenth century, it was only at the very end of the nineteenth century that the carriers of this electricity were found to be molecules of the air gases, which are converted from neutral particles to negative or positive ions by acquiring or losing elementary electric charges. The nature of such ions is clearly described by Academician N. N. Semenov in his book "Electron Phenomena" (1928).
"The role of the atom's outer electrons is most convincingly demon strated by the properties of ions. For example, when the single peripheral electron is detached from a sodium atom, its position is assumed by the inner group which is peripheral in neutral neon. Apparently, this sodium ion has properties which differ entirely from those of the sodium atom, but which resemble those of neutral neon (the preceding element in Mendeleev's Periodic Table— A. Ch.). We know, for example, that the sodium ion remains chemically inactive, similar to neon. The spectrum emitted by a sodium ion has nothing in common with that of sodium, but closely resembles the nion spectrum. The atomic volume of a sodium ion is only a fraction of that of the sodium atom. The same can be said about the magnetic properties of ions. In all cases, ions of a given atom resemble
its preceding element (in the Periodic Table— A. Ch.), and in case of double ionization, the element before the preceding one." The phenomenon of surface charging differs fundamentally from ioniza tion. Charging consists in separating the positive and negative charges on the body surface. An excess of positive charges may appear on certain bodies, and of negative ones on others. The total of positive and negative charges equals zero. Charging always occurs when one body rubs against another, when water is atomized in air, when solids are pulverized, and in the course of other physical and chemical phenomena. Almost every thing in the world is electrically charged. Dust, smoke, spray, and air pollutants are all charged, although they are quite inactive biologically.
It is time for scientists to recognize this physical fact and thoroughly study its ramifications.
Hence, there is a fundamental difference between the ionization of molecules and atoms, and the surface electricity of bodies. Air contains light gas ions, or air ions and their aggregates, and at the same time solid and liquid dust particles of microscopic dimensions with charged surfaces devoid of any signs of true ionization.