On The Spatial Distribution Of Photoelectrons Ejected From The Atomic K-Shell

With an electron velocity analyzer and modified Geiger-Mueller electron counter, the longitudinal space-distribution of electrons ejected from the $K$ energy level of copper by Mo $K{\ensuremath{\alpha}}_{1}$ has been determined. Asymmetries in the experimental and theoretical distributions are compared and lack of satisfactory accord with wave mechanics is found. The effects of nuclear scattering are briefly discussed. A convenient asymmetry factor, $k$, is introduced. It is possible to compute $k$ from data given by other investigators and, from an analysis of the statistical errors in the C. T. R. Wilson method, to compute probable errors. This is done and it is shown that a probably real difference, amounting to 10 percent, exists between the experimental and wave-mechanical asymmetries. Computations from an early but erroneous wave-mechanical treatment are in excellent accord with experimental results.