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Explore the fascinating world of atomic charges and their profound implications for understanding our universe in this 54-minute Christmas Lecture from 1979. Discover how ions—atoms that have gained or lost electrons—behave in electric fields, with demonstrations showing how charged particles can be driven across spaces and manipulated by electrical forces. Witness spectacular high-voltage experiments that reveal electric field patterns, observe how candle flames containing ion swarms respond to electric fields, and see how ions in salt solutions can be directed to produce useful chemical products like metal deposits and gas bubbles. Learn about electrons as fundamental particles torn from atomic surfaces, and watch real electron streams demonstrate the incredible speed and sensitivity that makes cathode ray oscilloscopes and television picture tubes possible. Examine how rectifiers control electric current flow, observe spark formation in gases, and analyze the characteristic colors of light emitted by atoms returning from ionized or excited states—discoveries that remarkably enable us to understand the expanding universe. Experience hands-on demonstrations with atom models featuring positive ions and electrons, all presented as part of an experimental "circus" designed to provide first-hand acquaintance with atomic behavior through spectacular demonstrations and real apparatus rather than theoretical descriptions alone.
