Final answer:
The particles being passed through beryllium were alpha particles, which are helium nuclei containing two protons and two neutrons with a charge of +2. German researchers discovered these particles in 1930 when they bombarded beryllium with alpha particles and observed their characteristics. The French husband-wife research team of Frederic and Irene Joliot-Curie used these particles to produce a large emission of protons from paraffin.
Step-by-step explanation:
The particles being passed through beryllium were alpha particles (helium nuclei containing two protons and two neutrons with a charge of +2).
In 1930, German researchers bombarded beryllium with alpha particles and found that the particles produced had strong penetrating power, were fairly large, and were electrically neutral. This experiment led to the discovery of new particles with these characteristics.
The French husband-wife research team of Frederic and Irene Joliot-Curie used these new particles to bombard paraffin, which resulted in a large emission of protons from the paraffin.