130 Dr. Faraday *s Experimeiital Researches in Electricity, 



most inappreciable effect (970.); and it cannot conduct it as 

 an electrolyte, because an electrolyte conducts in consequence 

 of the mutual relation and action of its particles ; and neither 

 of the elements of the water, nor even the water itself, as far 

 as we can perceive, are ions with respect to the sulphuric acid 

 (848.)*. 



926. This view of the secondary character of the sulphuric 

 acid as an agent .in the production of the voltaic current, is 

 further confirmed by the fact, that the current generated and 

 transmitted is directly and exactly proportional to the quan- 

 tity of water decomposed and the quantity of zinc oxidized 

 (868. 991.) : and is the same as that required to decompose 

 the same quantity of water. As, therefore, the decomposition 

 of the water shows that the electricity has passed by its means, 

 there remains no other electricity to be accounted for or to 

 be referred to any action other than that of the zinc and the 

 water on each other. 



927. The general case (for it includes the former one 

 (924. )>) of acids and bases, may theoretically be stated in the 

 following manner. Let fl, fig. 7. be supposed to be a dry 

 oxyacid, and b a dry base, in contact at c, and in electric com- 

 munication at their extremities by plates of platinapjo, and 

 a platina wire w. If this acid and base were fluid, and com- 

 bination took place at c^ with an affinity ever so vigorous, and 

 capable of originating an electric current, the current could 

 not circulate in any serious degree ; because, according to the 

 experimental results, neither a nor b could conduct without 

 being decomposed, for they are either electrolytes or else in- 

 sulators, under all circumstances, except to very feeble and 

 unimportant currents (970. 986.). Now the affinities at c are 

 not such as tend to cause the elements either of a or b to 

 separate, but only such as would make the two bodies com- 

 bine together as a whole ; the point of action is, therefore, in- 

 sulated, the action itself local (921. 947.), and no current can 

 be formed. 



928. If the acid and base be dissolved in water, then it is 

 possible that a small portion of the electricity due to chemical 

 action may be conducted by the water without decomposition 

 (966. 984.); but the quantity will be so small as to be utterly 

 disproportionate to that due to the equivalents of chemical 

 force; will be merely incidental ; and, as it does not involve 



* It will be seen that I here agree with Sir Humphry Davy, who has ex- 

 perimentally supported the opinion that acids and alkalies in combining do 

 not produce any current of electricity. Philosophical Transactions 1826, 

 p. 398. [or Phil. Mag. and Annals, N.S. vol. i. p. 98.— Edit.] 



