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XVI. On the Gas f^oltaic Battery. — Voltaic Action of Phosphorus, Sulphur and 



Hydrocarbons. 

 By W. R. Grove, Esq., M.A., F.R.S., F.P.H.I., Prof. Exp. Phil, London Institution. 



Received June 5, — Read June 19, 1845. 



IN a paper which was honoured by publication in the Philosophical Transactions for 

 1843, I described certain forms of the gas voltaic battery, together with a series of 

 experiments in which different gases were employed as voltaic combinations, and the 

 consequent application of voltaism to eudiometry. 



To ensure confidence in the accuracy of the eudiometric experiments, it was essen- 

 tial that the position which I laid down as to the absence of all voltaic action in a 

 combination of oxygen and nitrogen should be rigidly true. I may state with cer- 

 tainty that it is so, but an apparent exception noticed (Exp. 21.) in my last paper 

 obtains during the first few minutes after the circuit is closed, and sometimes for a 

 much longer time. The examination of this temporary action in the first instance, 

 with the view of ascertaining whether it was a specific action of the nitrogen or 

 attributable to adventitious circumstances, led me to the results which I have the 

 honour of laying before the Royal Society in this paper. 



Before detailing these results, I will for convenience sake premise that they were 

 all obtained by the form of battery represented in fig. 8 of my last paper (which, 

 with a slight addition to be referred to presently, is again represented at fig. 2, Plate 

 VI.), charged with distilled water slightly acidulated with pure sulphuric acid. 



I will also, when alluding to my last paper, to avoid the needless repetition of the 

 word experiment, refer to the number of the experiments as though they were para- 

 graphs, and continue those numbers in the paragraphs of this paper. 



As the form of battery (fig. 2) by which the interfering action of the atmosphere 

 is entirely prevented was not devised until the greater part of the experiments in my 

 last paper had been completed, I repeated some of them which seemed to require 

 such verification with this battery ; to one of these only is it essential that I should 

 now refer. I should likewise mention, that in the experiments to be described the 

 proper reductions for temperature and pressure have been made when necessary ; 

 where it was practicable the experiments were examined on days when the tempera- 

 ture and pressure were, as nearly as may be, the same as when they were set by. 



(31.) Oxygen and deutoxide of nitrogen, which in the open form of battery gave 

 only a temporary action (9.), when employed in the closed form (fig. 2) gave a con- 

 tinuous current. The following three sets of experiments were continued each for a 



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