. Electricity simplified. The practice and theory of electricity ... e oxygen. The well-known diagram illustrates the action ofthe zinc and copper on the liquid in the oxygen keeps disappearing by combination withthe zinc at one end of the battery; the hydrogen,by evolution as a gas, disappears at the other. Atthe same time the molecules keep exchanging atomsso that a constant travelling of the atoms from endto end of the liquid is kept up. In this way what isvirtually a current goes through the water. It isperhaps, no current, properly speaking, the liquidsimply effecting the cont
. Electricity simplified. The practice and theory of electricity ... e oxygen. The well-known diagram illustrates the action ofthe zinc and copper on the liquid in the oxygen keeps disappearing by combination withthe zinc at one end of the battery; the hydrogen,by evolution as a gas, disappears at the other. Atthe same time the molecules keep exchanging atomsso that a constant travelling of the atoms from endto end of the liquid is kept up. In this way what isvirtually a current goes through the water. It isperhaps, no current, properly speaking, the liquidsimply effecting the continuous charging of thezinc with electricity opposite to that of thecopper. Such a liquid is called an electrolyte, and this de- MOLECULAR ACTION 27V BATTERY. 115 composition, which is exactly proportional to thecurrent produced, is due to electrolytic , then, if not absolutely pure, can conductelectricity either as a regular conductor or electro-lvtically. A current may be caused to pass throughit by immersing in a vessel of the fluid two terminals. Fig. 27. or conductors coming from a battery or other sourceof electricity. If the difference of potential betweenthe terminals is high enough, the water will be de-composed and will give off oxygen to one terminaland hydrogen to the other. The travel of the atomsin both directions takes place, and the water acts asan electrolyte. Whether a current goes through it 116 ELECTRICITY SIMPLIFIED. or not, we have seen to be problematical. It isenough to believe that the oxygen atoms carry offthe electricity opposite to their own, and that the hy-drogen atoms do the same for the reverse quality ofelectricity. If the difference of potential, on theother hand, between the two immersed terminals islow enough, no decomposition will take place, and atrue current will go through the fluid, which acts asan actual conductor in such a case. The degree of difference of potential required forthe electrolytic decomposition of every com
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1890, bookidel, booksubjectelectricity
