S5.72 Defcrlptlon of an Improved Ele^ronwier. 



fcrks affixed to them, are fo fitted into the ftand that both 

 the beams lie parallel to each other as well as to the rod GE. 

 In this pofition of the beams AB, the balls B and E are juft 

 in contaft. The fmalleft glafs pillar N is of fuch a height 

 that the ball of the beam CD ftands at the diftntice of ex- 

 aftly four lines from the ring G, and cannot move without 

 touching the latter. The fmall lliell H is fufpended in fuch 

 a manner that there is a diftance of exa6lly two lines between 

 It and the fliell C. In each of the brafs rings GG is a fmall 

 hole, that the inllrument may be connefted with the two 

 fides of an eleftric jar. I is a brafs wire, with a hollow bit 

 of ivor}'^ a deftined to fupport the beam CD, which is necef- 

 faiily preponderant at D, in order to prevent ofcillation be- 

 tween the difcharges to be examined by the inftrument. 



It may be readily comprehended that, when the beam AB 

 has moved, A mull pafs over twice the fpace that B does ; 

 and that, in the beam CD, the cafe is the fame in regard to 

 C and D. If AB therefore be connected with the external 

 fide, and CD with the internal fide of a battery, but in fuch 

 a manner that the inftrument is at a fufficient didance be- 

 yond the eldftric atmofphere ; and if the batterv be charged, 

 the repulfive eflViSl of the elc6lric power will oblige the ball 

 B to feparate from the ball E ; the fliell H muft therefore 

 naturally fink down with double velocity, fo that when the 

 ball B rifes a line, the fticll II mufl: fink two : when it 

 reaches this depth it will touch the fhell C, and the latter, 

 by the power excited in it, will be obliged to fink, by which 

 D muft naturally again afcend in a'double proportion to the 

 finking of C; fo that when C has fallen two lines, D mull 

 have afcendcd four, and D that moment touches the ring 

 hy which the two fides of the battery are conneftcd with, 

 each other, and difcharges the battery. 



But, as the attractive elcChric power between unlike at- 

 mofpheres, under like circumfiances, is at leaft as ftrong as 

 its repulfive power between like atmofpheres, it would thence 

 fcjllow that the cic6tric power, inftead of repelling the ball B 



fron^ 



