[NewCandle] experiments and observations

[Robin van Spaandonk]

In reply to  Jones Beene's message of Fri, 6 Jun 2008 06:57:19 -0700 (PDT):
Hi,
[snip]
>It is possible that something in a high frequency
>reverse electrical spike applied to the lead acid
>battery, especially when the frequency is resonant
>with the large population of hydronium ions could, say
>... trigger, or enhance, Millsean shrinkage- is that
>where you were going ;-)

No, I was thinking more along the lines of older reports of high voltage &/or
magnetic fields changing the decay rate of isotopes.
[snip]
>...anyway, a nuclear reaction would add heat and
>gammas- 

Actually alpha decay is usually fairly light on the gammas.
[snip]
>...the logical chemical (redox) problem remains- how
>does heat from a fast alpha couple into reversing the
>current flow, in order to reduce lead oxide. Bottom
>line: how can heat from any nuclear reaction get
>translated easily and directly into a reduction
>reaction, which "simulates" the reversed flow of
>electrical current?

It may not be as difficult as you imagine. A fast alpha particle will first of
all ionize everything it comes across, spending about 400 eV on each atom, which
means that it can ionize thousands before coming to a halt. This represents the
storage of chemical energy. It's only when the ions and electrons recombine that
heat is liberated.
However if other chemical reactions take place first, then some of the energy
may be retained without ending up as heat. Radiolysis is an example of this,
where a few percent of the energy of the nuclear reaction ends up as H2 and O2.
Such reactions don't seem all that implausible in a battery.
[snip]
>First and
>foremost, I think you need to scientifically analyze
>the electrolyte from old and rejuvenated batteries- in
>a top level lab to find and document the putative Hg
>anomaly. Has this been done? 

I doubt it. No one even considers the possibility that lead might decay, though
I agree it does need to be done.
[snip]
BTW the first excited state of Hg-204 lies at 0.436 MeV, so in theory, an 82 keV
alpha might be emitted followed by a 0.436 MeV gamma.
The first excited state of Hg-203 lies at 0.69 MeV which is above the alpha
decay energy. That means that no gamma emission is possible, and the alpha would
get all the energy.
For Hg-202, there are two excited states with less energy than that of the alpha
decay, one at .44 MeV and one at .96 MeV.

However, note that for other low energy alpha decays, the alpha often gets all
the energy, e.g.
http://atom.kaeri.re.kr/cgi-bin/decay?Nd-144%20A despite the fact that the first
excited state of Ce-140 lies at only 1.6 MeV, and thus the decay energy of
Nd-144 (1.9 MeV) would in theory be enough to allow decay to the first excited
state of Ce-140.

Another example is Sm-148 -> Nd-144 + He4 + 1.99 MeV.

(http://atom.kaeri.re.kr/cgi-bin/decay?Sm-148%20A) 

Here there are actually three states less than 1.99 MeV, yet 100% of the decay
goes directly to the ground state.

In conclusion, it's quite possible that an assisted Pb decay might yield only
alphas, with no gammas. In fact for low energy alpha decays where the original
nucleus is even-even, I haven't yet found one that emits any gammas.

If you come across one, please let me know. (Low energy means < 2 MeV).

Regards,

Robin van Spaandonk

The shrub is a plant.