ABSTRACT
The study of the radioactive transformations gives most convincing evidence in supporting the nuclear theory, and brings light to the extraordinarily simple relations which exist between the change in atomic number in a disintegrating element and the nature of the transformation. Assuming that the nuclei behave as point charges, any divergence from calculation has been assigned to departure of the forces from a Coulomb law or to a nuclear structure comparable in dimensions with the distances involved in close collisions. If we try to fix the conditions by assuming that the abnormal scattering of alpha-particles by aluminium is explicable on wave mechanics, it is found that the criteria break down completely for collisions of alpha-particles with hydrogen and helium nuclei. The general evidence indicates that, the scattering remains normal for an even closer distance of approach in the case of helium nuclei than with hydrogen nuclei. All the alpha-particles escaping from radioactive nuclei having their origin as neutral satellites.
