106 Prof. Faraday on Electric Conduction. 



for a time, amongst other serious objections, that ah-eady given, 

 that the products would not be found at the places to which the 

 electricity has been conveyed), still the present argument would 

 have like force. At /• enough electricity may have passed through 

 to decompose two particles of water, at s only enough to de- 

 compose one, — how is a particle between r and s to change ele- 

 ments with the particles either towards ;• or towards s, if electro- 

 lytic change only is to be admitted ? or how, as before inquired, 

 can two particles throw their power on to, or receive their power 

 from one ? Many other considerations spring out of the thought 

 of a water bubble, under static induction ; but these just ex- 

 pressed, with those that relate to the seat of electrolytic action, 

 whether at the place of current or of charge, create a sum of 

 difficulty fully sufficient, without any others, to make me suspend 

 for the present any conclusions on the matter in question. 



The conduction power of water may be considered under 

 another point of view ; namely, that which has relation to the 

 absolute charge that can be given to the fluid. A point from 

 the electrical machine can charge neighbouring particles of air, 

 and they issue off in streams. It can do tlie same to particles 

 of camphine or oil of turpentine ; — it can do the same to the 

 particles of water ; and if two fine metallic wires connected with 

 RuhmkorfFs apparatus, be immersed in distilled water, about 

 half an inch apart, the motes usually present will soon show how 

 the water receives the charge, and how the charged water passes 

 oflP in streams, which discharge to each other in the mass. Now 

 such charge is not connected with electrolysis ; the condition of 

 electrolyzation is, that the electricity pass through the water and 

 do not stop short in it. The mere charge of the water gives us 

 no idea where any constituents set loose by electrolysis can be 

 evolved, and yet conduction is largely concerned in the act of 

 charging. A shower of rain falls across a space in the atmo- 

 sphere subject to electric action, and each drop becomes charged; 

 spray may be thrown forth from an electrified fountain very 

 highly charged ; — conduction has been eminently active in both 

 cases, but I find it very difficult to conceive how that conduction 

 can be electrolytic in its character. 



When drops of water, oppositely electrified, are made to ap- 

 proach each other, they act by convection, i. e. as carriers of 

 electricity; when they meet they discharge to each other, and 

 the function of conduction is for the time set up. When the 

 water bubble, described p. 102, is taken out of the sphere of in- 

 duction, the opposite electricities about j:> and n neutralize each 

 other, being conducted through the particles of the water. Are 

 we to suppose in these cases that the conduction is electrolytic ? 

 if so, where are the constituents separated, and where are they 



