ELATEBIN 



113 



EIECTRUM 



Elaterin, (el-at-5'riti).=Co H 2 8O5: white silky 

 crystals from Momordica elaterium. 



Elaterite, (el-at'er-it). [Elater,<7.v.]=Mineral 

 caoutchouc: a solid elastic variety of bitumen ; 



Elatinaceae, (el-at-in-a'se-e). [Elatine, q.v.]= 

 Water-peppers : small aquatic herbs, with 

 rooting stems, belonging to Rutales. 



Elatine, (el-at'in). [Gk. elate, fir tree.]= 

 Water- wort: a small creeping aquatic herb, 

 belonging to Elatinacese. 



Elayl=Ethylene=Olefiant gas, q.v. 



Elder, (el'der). [Holder, the German name.j 

 =Sambucus: a tree, the pith of which is 

 very light, belonging to Caprifoliaceae. E 

 rao</i:=Phalaena sambucaria : an insect be- 

 longing to Lepidoptera. 



Elecampane, (el-e-kam-pan'). [Corruption of 

 the French name. ] l. = Inula Helenium: a 

 plant belonging to Asteraceae. 2. A medi- 

 cine obtained from the root of this plant. 



Elecampin, (el-e-kam'pin). [Elecampane, q.v.] 

 =Inulin, q.v. : a starch4ike principle found 

 in Elecampane. 



Electra, (e-lek'tra). [Classical.] 1. A minor 

 planet, No. 130, discovered 1873. 2. One of 

 the Pleiades, q.v. 3. A genus of membran- 

 ous polypes. 



Electric, (e-lek'trik). [Electricity, q.v.] Con- 

 nected with electricity ; having electricity 

 for its origin or motive power. E. battery: 

 a series of Leyden jars. cf. Galvanic bat- 

 tery. E. chimes: a set of small bells which 

 can be sounded by electricity. E. clock: a 

 clock in which a current of electricity sup- 

 plies the motive power. E. current: the 

 transmission of electric force. E. discharge; 

 if sudden, in the form of a spark; if continu- 

 ous, in the form of a current. E. eel=Gym- 

 notus: a fish, resembling the eel, which is 

 capable of giving electric shocks. E. egg: an 

 egg-shaped glass vessel, which glows with 

 light when a current passes through it E. 

 J(5/i=Torpedo, silurus, gymnotus, &c. E. 

 fluid: the hypothetical medium of electricity. 

 E. insulation: the separation of an electri- 

 fied body from conducting bodies by the in- 

 terposition of a non-conductor. E. iight= 

 Voltaic arc: the light emitted by an electric 

 current in crossing over a small interval of 

 space. E. machine: any apparatus for the 

 generation of electric force. E. organs: for 

 storing up electricity; found only in some 

 fishes ; v. Gymnotus. E. pendulum=T > ith- 

 ball electroscope: a pith ball suspended by a 

 non-conducting thread. E. ray=Torpedo= 

 Raia, q.v. E. resistance; small in conductors, 

 great in non-conductors; the force required 

 ti electrify a given body. E. spark; an in- 

 termittent form of electric light, obtained 

 when a conducting body is brought near an 

 electrified body. E. telegraph: an apparatus 



Electricity, (e-iek-tris'i-ti). [Gk. elektron, 

 amber.] A form of energy, excited by fric- 

 tion, chemical action, magnetism, &c., and 

 capable of being converted into heat, light, 

 magnetism, &c., at pleasure, by suitable ap- 

 paratus. Probably a variety of impercep- 

 tible molecular motion. E. of induction: 



the transmission of electric force through a 

 badly conducting substance. Chemical E.: 

 the development of electric force by chemical 

 action; usually by the action of an acid 

 on a metal. Fractional E.: development of 

 electric force by friction upon the surface of 

 badly conducting substances. Galvanic E. 

 =Chemical E.; named after Galvani. Resi- 

 nous E.~ Negative Electricity: developed by 

 friction on resinous surfaces. Vitreous E. = 

 Positive electricity: developed by friction on. 

 glass and other vitreous surfaces. VoltoAc E. 

 =Chemical electricity; named after Volta. 



Electro, (e-lek'tro). [Electricity, q.v.]. A 

 prefix indicating electricity as the origin. E. 

 chemical series: arrangement of a number 

 of substances in order of their affinity for 

 positive or negative poles of a battery. E. 

 telegraph, in which chemical decomposition 

 is effected by means of a current, and so 

 governed as to be a means of signalling. E. 

 dynamics: the science of electricity as a cause 

 of motion, v. Dynamics. E. magnet : a piece of 

 soft iron surrounded by a coil of wire, which 

 is magnetised whenever a current passes 

 through the wire. E. metallurgy = Elec- 

 tro-plating. E. motive force: the amount of 

 electric force which is over and above the 

 amount consumed in the machinery of gene- 

 ration, and so is capable of being utilised. 

 E. negative elements : those which go to the 

 anode or positive pole. E. plating; coating 

 of one substance by another by means of 

 electricity. E. positive elements: which in 

 decomposition by electricity go to the cathode 

 or negative pole. E. potential: a measure 

 of electric force, v. Potential. E. series; 

 a number of substances arranged in order 

 of their power to excite galvanic currents. 

 E. statics: the science of electricity at 

 rest. 



Electrodes, (e-lek'trodz). [Electricity, q.v.: 

 Gk. odos, way.] The terminals or poles of a 

 galvanic batteiy. 



Electrolysis, ( e-lek-troH-sis X [Electricity, 

 q.v.; Gk. lysis, loosening.] Decomposition of 

 chemical compounds by electricity. 



Electrolyte, (6-lek'tro-lIt). [Electro, q.v. ; lytos, 

 dissoluble.] A compound chemical substance 

 which can be decomposed by electiicity. 



Electro-magnetic units. 1. Ohm=l(F natural 

 units: measure of resistance. 2. Farad. = 

 10 7 natural units: measure of capacity. 3. 

 Volt.=10 6 natural units: measure of poten- 

 tiality. 



Electrometer, (g-lek-trom'e-ter). [Electro, q.v. ; 

 Gk. metron, measure.] An instrument to 

 measure the force of an electric current. 



Electrophorus, ( e-lek-trof'o-rus ). [Electro, 

 q.v.; Gk. phoreo, I bear.] An instrument 

 for collecting electricity, and exhibiting the 

 phenomena of induction. 



Electroscope, (5-lek'trS-skop). [Electro, q.v.; 

 Gk. skopeo, I observe.] An instrument for 

 detecting and exhibiting the presence of 

 electricity. 



Electrotonus=Anelectrotonus and Cathelec- 



trotonus. 



Electrum, (e-lek'trum). [The Latin word,] 1. 



H 



