135 DECOMPOSITION OP WATER BT GALVANISM. 



for a similar reason, the opposite extremity n wouJd become 

 negative: that, consequently, as there was a positive and a 

 negative point in the water conneeted with each receiver, 

 it was obvious, that the decomposition would be etFected by 

 mutual attractions and repulsions subsisting between the 

 elements of water, and the two contiguous points of the 

 interrupted circuit, which were thus immersed in the same 

 finid ; in short, that Ritter had been misled by overlooking 

 the decompositions, which, I conceived, took place at the 

 extremities p and n of the wires connected with the battery, 

 experiments I accordingly adopted a new arrangement, as at fig. 4. I 

 this, caused the wires proceeding from the battery to pass through 

 the upper part of the receivers (which were hermetically 

 sealed) and then placed the receivers over the connecting 

 wire pn, supported on a stand, and passing through the 

 two glass capsi^les A B. By this disposition of the wires 

 connected with the battery, I was sure of collecting 

 any gasses which might be evolved at their extremities. 

 The result answered my expectation. I now obtained, not ox- 

 igen in the one receiver, and hidrogen in the other, but these 

 two substances in each, in the exact proportion, in which 

 they combine together to form water : for on passing the 

 electric spark through the gasses collected in each receiver, 

 separately, a detonation took place, the gasses entirely dis- 

 appeared, and water was regenerated. The nature of the 

 decomposition, which happened in each receiver, was ob- 

 vious : the wire P, proceeding from the zinc side of the 

 battery, being positive at the extremity p, and the water in 

 the receiver operating as a conductor, the positively electric 

 state was transmitted through the water to «, and then 

 along the connecting wire np to p, which by this means 

 became also positive; in like manner, the wire n connected 

 with the copper side of the battery, being negative at the ex- 

 tremity «, and the negatively electric state being transmitted 

 through the water to p, and then along the connecting wire 

 pn to the extremity n, this extremity became negative. 

 There being thus a positire and a negative point in each 

 receiver, the decompositions which took place differed in no 

 respect from those which happen when the arrangement 

 fepresented at fig. 1 is employed. 



It 



