VOLTAIC BATTERY. 269 



power of this arrangement with an ordinary pair, 

 two plates — one of zinc, the other of copper, 2^ 

 inch by If inch — were employed in deflecting 

 the same galvanometer. And it was found that 

 in very fierce action in water, strongly acidulated 

 with sulphuric acid, they only deflected the galva- 

 nometer to 65°, which in a few minutes fell to 

 61°, although at that period in fair brisk action. 



Potassium Experiment — Aqueous Decom- 

 position. 



May 19th, 1846. Experiment I. — Again 

 arranged this Potassium battery as before, sub- 

 stituting however solution of sulphate of coppe?' 

 acidulated with sulphuric acid in the wine glass. 

 The arrangement produced a remarkably quiet 

 battery. 



The deflexion of the galvanometer was but 10° 

 to 30° when the decomposition apparatus was con- 

 nected. Two platina wire poles, arranged as usual 

 in acidulated distilled water, in a convenient 

 glass tube for showing the development of the 

 gas, formed the decomposition apparatus. The 

 decomposition by this single pair was beautiful 

 and energetic ; and what was remarkable, con- 



