ON SOME CHEMICAL AGENCIES OF ELECTRICITY. 5/ 



a drop of solution of sulphate of potash into the positive Mode of action 

 , . •••II i i on Vol'a's pile- 



Cone: the decomposition instantly began.: potash passed with cxpeii . 



rapidly over into the negative cone, heat was immediately mental eluci-* 



. , * . . . . . dations. 



sensible; and in less than two minutes the water was in a 



state of ebullition. 



I tried the same thing with the solution of nitrate of ammo- 

 nia, and in this instance the heat rose to such an intensity as 

 to evaporate all the water in three or four minute^,, with a 

 kind of explosive noise; and at last actual inflammation took 

 place, with the decomposition and dissipation of the greatest 

 part of the salt*. 



That the increase of the conducting power of the water by 

 the drop of saline solution had little or nothing to do with the 

 effect, is evident from this crrcumstance. I introduced a 

 quantity of strong lixivium of potash into the cones, and like- 

 wise concentrated sulphuric acid, separately, which are better 

 conductors than solutions of the neutral salts; but there was 

 very little sensible effect. 



The same principles will apply to all. the varieties of the 

 electrical apparatus, whether containing double or single 

 plates; and if the ideas developed in the preceding sections be 

 correct, one property operating under different modifications 

 is the universal cause of their activity. 



X. On some general Illustrations and .Applications of the fore- 

 going Facts and Principles, and Conclusion, 



The general ideas advanced in the preceding pages are GeneraUllus- 

 evidently directly in contradiction to the opinion advanced by tratlonsand 

 Fabroni, and which, in the early stage of the investigation, 

 appeared extremely probable, namely, that chemical changes 

 are the primui 1/ causes of the phenomena of Galvanism. 



Before the experiments of M. Volta on the electricity ex- 

 cited by the mere contact of metals were published, 1 had to 

 a certain extent adopted this opinion; but the new facts imt 



* In this process ammonia was rapidly given off from the surface of the 

 negative cone, and nitrous acid from that of the positive cone, and a white 

 vapour was produced by their combination in the atmosphere above the 

 apparatus, 



mediately 



