Unlike cathode rays, the properties of positive rays depend on the gas in the discharge tube because
- A. positive rays are electromagnetic waves
- B. the positive ions formed are the ionised atoms of that particular gas
- C. positive rays travel faster
- D. the cathode is perforated
Explanation
Positive rays are the residue of atoms that have lost electrons, so their mass differs from gas to gas, whereas cathode rays are electrons and are identical whatever the source. This difference was itself strong evidence that the electron is a universal constituent of all matter. The lightest positive particle, from hydrogen, was named the proton.