THE 

 LONDON, EDINBURGH and DUBLIN 



PHILOSOPHICAL MAGAZINE 



AND 



JOURNAL OF SCIENCE. 



[FOURTH SERIES.] 



MAY 1854. 



XLVI. Theory of the Electric Residue in the Leyden Jar. 



By R. KoHLRAUSCH *. 

 [With a Plate.] 



THE solution of an important electrical problem rendered it 

 necessary for me to seek the law of the formation of the elec- 

 tric residue in the Leyden jar. The sine-electrometer described in 

 Poggendorff's Annalen, vol. Ixxxviii. p. 497, was constructed for 

 this purpose; and having, by means of it and the multiplier 

 described in the present memoir, subjected the facts of the case 

 to a more strict investigation (§ 1 to § 8), it soon appeared 

 (§ 9) that the explanations of the phsenomenon hitherto given 

 could lay little claim to accuracy. Another cause for the pro^ 

 duction of the residue was therefore sought (§ 10), and the con- 

 sequence was, that a numei-ical law was discovered (§ 11) which 

 was applicable to practical purposes (§ 12). 



The new hypothesis ought, indeed, to be subjected to strict 

 criticism, for such hypotheses, on account of their wide appli- 

 cability, have something attractive in them, and are therefore to 

 be received with due caution. If, however, the explanation 

 given in § 10 should be rejected, still the facts cited, and the 

 correctness of the calculations, will not be questioned. 



§1. 

 When a Leyden jar is charged, a constant diminution of the 

 tension upon its knob is observed. If, in observing this, suitable 

 electrometers be made use of, it will appear that the decrease 

 shortly after charging is much more considerable than after some 

 time has elapsed, and the conjecture arises that the phsenomenon 



* From Poggendorff's Annalen, vol. xei. p. 56. 



Phil. Mag. S. 4. Vol. 7. No. 46. May 1854. Y 



