Velocity of the Electric Current 



175 



The ratio of the velocities observed, making the first 

 unity, is as follows : 



V 1= =l 



y 8 =i.97 



V 3 =2.89 

 V 4 =1.79 



Substituting these values of Vi , V2 , &c, for f f 

 &c, in the four equations and determining e & R we find, 



e- 



K: 



10.05 

 : -j- 1.43 



Now with the computed values of f f &c, we may 



compute the apparent velocities, 

 result: 



The following is the 



Observed 

 Velocity. 



10,200 



20,000 

 29,450 

 18.200 



Computed 

 Velocity. 



10,200 

 19,700 

 29,580 

 18,560 



Diff. 

 o — c. 



+ 000- 

 + 300 



— 130 



— 360 



Length 

 of Circuit. 



400 



400 



400 



1000 



No. of 



Elements. 



70 

 160 

 295 

 295 



From which it appears, that the apparent velocity, is di- 

 rectly proportional to the magnetic force of the circuit. 

 Hence, we are led to conclude that in such experiments 

 we do not determine the velocity of the electric impulse, 

 but only the mechanical force of the current. 



There was no difference in the apparent velocity whether 

 the current passed from the positive to the negative pole, 

 or vice versa. Neither was there any measurable differ- 

 ence whether the battery was all on one end or divided. 

 It was, however, found to be impracticable to work a long 

 circuit, say 1000 miles, with the whole battery at one end 

 of the line. 



The computed value R = 1.43 miles of line wire, is ap- 

 parently many times too great, but when we consider that 



