232 



Article VIII. 



On the Motion of Liquids in a closed Galvanic Circuit. 

 By G. Wiedemann. 



[From Poggendoiff's Annalen, No. 11, 1852.] 



§ 1- 



In examining the action of a galvanic current, so far as its 

 activity is confined to the path traversed by it, the attention of 

 physicists has been directed principally to two of its properties ; 

 on the one hand to its capability of generating heat, on the other 

 to its chemical action. In reference to the first of these proper- 

 ties, the observations of Joule in particular have led to general 

 laws, which are all the more important on account of their inti- 

 mate connexion in many respects with those established by the 

 excellent experiments of Riess, for the heating of the conduct- 

 ing wire in electrical discharges. Faraday's observation, that 

 one and the same current always separates from different binary 

 combinations equivalent quantities of their elements, has by 

 later investigations, among which it may suffice to mention 

 Daniell's, been extended to the decomposition of compound 

 bodies in general. Although these subjects are still far from 

 being exhausted, a path at least has been opened towards ob- 

 taining further results. 



A third action of the galvanic current, which has been less 

 studied than its thermic or chemical actions, consists in a pecu- 

 liar mechanical power possessed by it, by means of which it is 

 capable of producing, in one way or another, a motion of the 

 material particles through which it passes. At one time this 

 activity shows itself in the capability which a powerful galvanic 

 current possesses of tearing asunder certain materials introduced 

 into its circuit, as was shown by Grove, when investigating 

 the deportment of molten platinum and lead wires in the gal- 

 vanic circuit. This phaenomenon is analogous to the dissipation 

 of wires observed by Riess in powerful battery discharges. 



