406 ELECTROKINETICS. [PT. II. CH. X. 



and the charges of the three planes begin to die away at different 

 rates. At any subsequent time later by an interval 2 , 



nrX. 



= e "i ' 



(21) 



(22) 



If the condenser be now left to itself, the charges will finally 

 entirely disappear. If however the plates are short circuited, we 

 have the same conditions as in the first stage, with E. 

 Accordingly the forces change suddenly from F^\ F 2 to F^, 

 FJ, and there passes through the wire the instantaneous dis- 

 charge 



(23) , 



We now have, by (7) 



and since 

 we obtain 



+ 



(If <a, the time of leakage through the condenser, be zero, and if 

 ti the time of charge, be either zero or infinity, we find that con- 

 duction is without effect, and the instantaneous discharge, - e 7 , is 

 equal to the instantaneous charge.) 



There now remain the charges 



47T 



