346 Mr. P. Cooper on Capillary Attraction, 



when compared with hydrogen, the superior force of the 

 former will repel the inferior force of the latter, so as to 

 render the surface of the hydrogen in contact with the 

 oxygen still more negative ; while, on the other hand, the 

 light which forms the atmospheres of the oxygen will flow 

 towards the hydrogen, and thus render the surface of the 

 oxygen in contact with the hydrogen still more positive. 



In this state there will be an attraction between the 

 oxygen and the hydrogen ; because the reciprocal attraction 

 of the light of contiguous atoms is only neutralized by the 

 repulsive force of the same light when the atmospheres of 

 the atoms are uniform ; for the attraction being as the sum 

 of the forces upon the contiguous surfaces, every atom of 

 light attracting every atom of matter, remains unchanged 

 by an unequal distribution between them; whereas the 

 repulsion being as the forces multiplied into each other, 

 every atom of light repelling every other atom of light, is 

 lessened by inequality, although the force taken from one 

 surface be added to the other. 



In consequence of this attraction, the oxygen will have 

 an affinity for the hydrogen, and the atoms will alternately 

 unite with each other ; the positive surface of the atom of 

 oxygen with the negative surface of the atom of hydrogen, 

 and the positive surface of the atom of hydrogen with the 

 negative surface of a second atom of oxygen, which will 

 leave its positive surface ready to unite with another atom 

 of hydrogen -* as in the annexed figure. 



OH OH OH 



— OH 0+ — »H 0+ — OH OH- &c. &c. 



A B CD E F 



Bodies which consist of single proportionals, whether 

 solid or fluid, are formed upon the same general principles. 

 The dissimilar atoms are united by the positive surface of 

 the positive atom, and the negative surface of the negative 



* If we suppose the atoms of oxygen and hydrogen to be united by cohesion, 

 this will form two particles of water. These two particles of water will be united 

 to each other by the positive surface of the hydrogen of one particle, and the 

 negative surface of the oxygen of the other particle ; a very inferior force to tliat 

 which unites the atoms to form the particles ; and as a second atom of oxygen is 

 held by an atom of hydrogen, to form a particle of oxygenated water, by tJie same 

 force, as may be seen from the above description, it accounts for the ease with 

 which the combination thus formed sufl'ers decomposition. 



