56 ON *<>MF. CIirMTCAL AGENCIES OF ELECTRICITY. 



Mode of action ther pure water or sulphuric acid, will undoubtedly give 

 with expert- ' sul ^ e shocks, and this effect is connected with the rcstora- 

 iiitmtal elud- tion of the equilibrium disturbed by the energies of the 

 metals ; but when their extreme plates are connected there 

 is no exhibition, as in usual cases of electromotion. Water 

 containing loosely combined oxigen is more efficient than 

 Water containing common air, as it enables oxide of zinc to 

 be formed more rapidly, and in larger quantities. Neutro- 

 saline solutions, which are at first very active, lose their 

 energy in proportion as their acid arranges itself on the side 

 of the zinc, and their alkali on that of the copper ; and I 

 have found the powers of a combination, nearly destroyed 

 from this cause, very much revived, merely by agitating the 

 fluids in the cells and mixing their parts together. Diluted 

 acids, which are themselves easily decomposed, or which 

 assist the decomposition of water, are above all other sub-* 

 stances powerful ; for they dissolve the zinc, and furnish only 

 a gaseous product to the negative surface, which is imme- 

 diately disengaged. 



There are other experiments connected with very striking 

 results, which offer additional reasons for supposing the de- 

 composition of the chemical menstrua essential to the con- 

 tinued electromotion in the pile. 



As when an electrical discharge is produced by means of 

 small metallic surfaces in the Voltaic battery, (the opposite 

 states being exalted) sensible heat is the consequence, it oc- 

 curred to me, that if the decomposition of the chemical 

 agents was essential to the balance of the opposed electrici- 

 ties, the effect, in a saline solution, of this decomposition, 

 and of the transfer of the alkali to the negative side, and of 

 the acid to the positive side, ought, under favourable cir- 

 cumstances, to be connected with an increase of tempera- 

 ture. 



I placed the gold cones, which have been so often men- 

 tioned, in the circuit of the battery with the power of 100, 

 I tilled them with distilled water, and connected them by a 

 piece of moistened asbestus, about an inch in length and g. 

 of an inch diameter ; I provided a small air thermometer 

 capable of being immersed in the gold cones, expecting (if 

 iiiy) only a very slight change of temperature; 1 introduced 



a drop 



