230 Outlines of a View of Galvanifm. 



.copper or filver aAs, though with lefs intenlitv, when water, 

 or a fluid which they are incapable of deconipofing, is fublti- 

 tuted for one of the chemical agents. 



The following table contains fonie powerful galvanic com- 

 binations of the fecond order, arranged according to the in- 

 tcnfity of their aftion. 



TABLE OF SOME GALVANIC CIRCLES, 



Compofed of tiuo imperfecl ConduHors and one perfetl 



Condu£lu7\ 



§ 4. Arranjrements, exaclly iimilar in their a<Slion to the 

 common fnnple circles, may be formed by the combination 

 of more than three conduttors. For, that iimple galvanic 

 action may be evolved, nothing more is apparently requifite, 

 than that the points of contact between the foiid and fluid 

 parts of the circle, i. e. the places where chemical affinities 

 are liable to be exerted, be immediately preferved ; at the 

 fame time that thofe parts are refpedively honiogeneal, or 

 compoled refpcdivelv of fimilar condudors. 'ihus zinc, 

 fllver, iron, gold, and water, arranged in a circle, in the 

 order of their enumeration, produce aftion exaiftly analogous 

 to zinc, oold, and water. i\nd nitrous acid, water, iolution 

 of caultic potalli, folution of fulphuret of potafli, and fllver, 

 evolve galvanic influence in the lame manner as nitrous acid, 

 water, folulion of fulphuret of putafli, and filver. 



It apjK-ars, however, that the length and furface of the 

 conducting ferics, connecting the exciting parts of the circle, 

 are in fome me;ifure related to the quantity of aftion it is 

 capable of exhilviting. This law, indeed, applies only ana- 

 logically to perfeil conductors ; though, with regard to im- 

 perCeA conducl:f)r?, it is dernonftr;)tcd experimentally; as in 

 all cafes a diminution of power, in fome unknown ratio, is 

 produced by the increafe of the length, or, what is apparently 

 equivalent, the diminution of the furface of the chain which 

 they compofe. 



The limits of !'urfacc, and of length, of imperfect conduflors 



ill 



