Electricibj in Electrolytes, 97 



ditions. Neithei' is it difficult to conceive that these couditioaa 

 may be retained, even after separation, provided we also assume 

 that no accumulation of positive or negative partial molecules 

 alone takes place in any part of the conductor — in other words, 

 that both kinds of partial molecules are everywhere so uni- 

 formly distributed, that in any given space there are an equal 

 number of each kind. For in this case, owing to the opposite 

 actions of positive and negative partial molecules, the forces ex- 

 erted by the electricities of the surrounding partial molecules 

 upon the electricity adhering to any one cannot occasion any 

 strong resultant having a tendency to move the latter electricity 

 in any definite direction, and thus to separate it from its mole- 

 cule should the motion of that molecule be impeded. 



On the other hand, however, if a large number of molecules 

 charged with the same kind of electricity were congregated in 

 any space, the electricity of any one of them would be repelled 

 by the electricities of all the rest ; and unless the molecule in 

 question happened to be in the middle of the mass, these repel- 

 ling forces, by combining, might occasion a considerable result- 

 ant force acting from within outwards. IMoreover, inasmuch as 

 the electricities clinging to all other molecules would be subjected 

 to exactly similar actions, each being forced outwards by the 

 total action of all the others, a certain tension would necessarily 

 prevail in the electric condition of the whole mass, which tension 

 could only sustain itself unchanged in the case of this mass being 

 absolutely non-conducting. In other cases the free electricity of 

 all molecules would, according to the conductibility of the mass, 

 flow more or less quickly, first towards its surface, and thence, 

 unless this mass was perfectly insulated, into surrounding space. 



5. Further, if we consider the actual process of decompo- 

 sition which occurs in the liquid serving as electrolyte or con- 

 taining the electrolytes in solution, we must, at any rate, grant 

 in the first place, that the partial molecules set free at one 

 electrode do not move through the liquid to the other electrode, 

 but that decompositions and recombinations occur everywhere 

 throughout the whole mass of liquid between the two electrodes, 

 so that the ])ositive partial molecules which in the unit of time 

 reach the cathode correspond in number to, but are not identical 

 with, those which leave the anode ; and similarly with respect to 

 the negative partial molecules which arrive at the anode. 



The mutual dependence between the decompositions occurring 

 in the several liquid strata, however, requires to be established 

 more accurately, and there is one opinion, particularly, which, 

 being decidedly erroneous although apparently ])lausiblc, must 

 once for all be rejected. 



In fact, one might possibly conceive that the decomposition 

 Phil. Mag. S. 4. Vol. 15. No. 98. Feb. 1858. H 



