LAW OF GALVANISM IN BURNING THE METALS. 2109 



[ the laft pak which is unloaded, are the two plates in the cen- 

 tre of the trough. In an arrangement of only 50 or 'SO plates, --confequently 

 ^ . ^ ., . L r , the whole dif- 



the rapidity of each fucceiTive difcharge appears to be lo great ^^^^^^ of equal 

 «8 not to admit of the intervals being diftinguiaied by our fenfe furfaces is more 

 of feeling ; but when the number is very confiderable the fen- fg^^e/theplatest 

 fation produced is jarring and tremulous, fuch as we may con- 

 ceive would arife from the adion of a conftant current of a 

 fubtiie fluid. 



When we expofe metallic fubftances to the galvanic a6lion, —and thequan- 

 the effecls produced are greater from a large furface diffufed ^^g^J^^y^'^ff^^^^ 

 over a fmall number of plates, than when fpread over a greater -in the wire at 

 number of plates: if we fuppofe 800 particles of elearicity ^ny inftant of 

 /- 1 ^ . , . , . ,. , ,•; timeisgreatcr. 



given out from a plkte of eight inches in diameter, there would 



only be 200 particles from a plate of four inches (fuppofingthe 

 quantity in the ratio of the furfaces expofed) if two plates be 

 unloaded at once, we fliall have from one arrangement 1600 

 particles of eledricity determined in one mafs, and from the 

 other only 400; fronj the former we haVe a rapid commu- 

 nication of a quantity of ele6lricity of four times the intenfity 

 of the latter. And as metallic fubftances nearly tranfmit the 

 whole, the effe6ls produced are found to be as the fquares of 

 the intenfities. 



I am now conftru6ling a battery of fifty plates, each plate A battery now 

 of which will be two feet in diameter. If the above circle JU J^jfj^P^^^J^ 

 Ihould hold good, the extent of wire that wilLbe ignited will loo feet of wire. 

 be very confiderable. A battery of 50 plates, each plate eight 

 inches in diameter, ignites 16inches of fteel wire of one feven- 

 tieth of an inch in diameter. And as the plates I am now pre- 

 paring will expofe a furface nine times greater, I fliall expert 

 that 16x 9x 9 zi 1296 inches, or 108 feet of wire will be ig- 

 nited at every contact. 



Tot. VIL— March, 1804. P XI. Account 



