244? LAWS OF GALVANISM. 



Wire hidrogen gas. The decompofition took place very 

 flowly ; in proportion as the wires were approximated, the 

 decompotition increafed in the fame ratio. 



The platinum wires were then inferted into a capillary tube 

 whofe bore is about -^-^ of an inch, filled with water; no fen- 

 fible effedl was produced till the wires were placed at the dif- 

 tance of half an inch, and then only a folitary bubble became 

 difengaged from the negative wire, never completely detached, 

 but hovering round the extremity, not being fet at liberty by 

 the evolution of another particle. 



When the platinum wires were inferted in a tube whofe 

 bore is -J of an inch, at the diftance of fix inches a flight de- 

 compofition was obferved, and which neceflarily increafed in 

 proportion as the wires approached each other. 



When the platinum wires were inferted in different glafles 

 of water, and the extremities of a frog deprived of its inte- 

 gument conftituted the connedling medium between the two 

 glaHes, or a wet piece of cloth, at the difiance of three inches 

 a flight decompofition was obferved. 



When two wires are conne6ted with the diflx-rent ends of a 

 galvanic battery, the wires immediately participate, as to 

 their eledrical intenfity, with the refpedive plates with which 

 they are in conla6t. 

 Inveftlgatlon of Let us fuppofe P the wire from the pofitive end of the bat- 

 compoTtloltV ^^^y* ^"^ ^ *^^^ negative. PL AT], Fig. 2. Let us fup- 

 watcr by gal- pofe that the galvanic arrangement is fuch, that, when the 

 vanifm. wires are placed at the diftance o, a, the decompofition 



commences. If the wires be placed at b and b, the decom- 

 pofition is confiderably increafed ; and this increafe will go 

 on, till the maximum will be at d, d, when the wires are 

 infinitely near each other without being in contact. 



The pofitive wire, according to its eleftrical intenfity, pro- 

 duces a correfponding fiate in all fluids with which it is in 

 contaft, proportionate to their capacities ; fo alfo the negative 

 wire ; and it is evident from the principle of eledrical charges, 

 that the influence of each muft extend to equal diflances ; it 

 will therefore follow, that when at a, c, fuppofing thefe 

 points the apices of two equal cones, the areas of their 

 refpedive bafes will be the leaft poflible, and confequently, 

 in their concourfe at ?, will only influence a fingle particle of 

 water. When the wires are placed at b, b, then ci will ex- 



prefs 



