522  M.  G.  Quincke  on  Electrolysis,  and  the 
electricity  which  has  flowed  in  the  same  time  through  the  con- 
ductor, a  measure  for  the  intensity  of  the  current*. 
This  law  holds  also  when  several  substances  are  simultaneously 
decomposed  in  a  liquid.  Hence,  if  the  unit  of  current-inten- 
sity be  suitably  chosen, 
**** (23) 
or,  taking  into  account  equation  (17),  which  holds  also  if  the 
sums  of  all  the  r  are  taken, 
_  \=2ri>r(<Vr-C',eV) (24) 
Putting 
Xi-i^c.e.-cy,), 
K=pr(Crer-Ore!r),  J 
(25) 
Xv  X2,  . . .  Xr  would  denote  the  partial  specific  conductivity  of 
the  1st,  2nd,  and  rth  chemical  compound  contained  in  the  liquid, 
and 
\=\1+X24-  ...Xr (26) 
The  specific  conductivity  of  the  whole  liquid  is  equal  to  the  sum 
of  the  partial  specific  conductivities  of  the  individual  constituents. 
From  equations  (25)  and  (17)  it  follows 
^h=ih,  ■*-&'•■»£-£{    .    .    .    (87) 
0,        X       c2        X '        ar         X3  v     ' 
that  is,  of  the  individual  constituents  of  the  whole  liquid,  a  dif- 
ferent number  of  equivalents  is  decomposed,  according  to  the 
ratio  of  the  partial  conductivity  of  the  individual  constituents  to 
the  specific  conductivity  of  the  entire  liquid. 
§56. 
On  the  ordinary  view  of  electrolysis,  and  also  in  the  conception 
here  discussed,  the  electrical  current,  if  not  entirely,  yet  princi- 
pally depends  on  those  particles  of  electricity  which,  supported 
by  the   material  molecules,  move  simultaneously  with  these; 
*  The  exceptions  to  this  law,  for  id  stance  the  liberation  of  two  equiva- 
lents of  copper  (Matteucci,  Bibl.  Univ.  vol.  xxi. ;  Becquerel,  Ann.  de 
Chim.  S.  3.  vol.  xi.  p.  162;  Magnus,  Pogg.  Ann.  vol.  cii.  1857,  p.  41; 
Buff,  Liebig's  Ann.  vol.  ex.  1859,  p.  268),  or  half  an  equivalent  of  tin 
(Hittorf,  Pogg.  Ann.  vol.  cvi.  1859,  p.  397),  to  one  equivalent  of  silver, 
are  only  apparent,  and  mostly  depend  upon  secondary  chemical  action,  the 
reduction  of  metal  by  one  equivalent  of  hydrogen. 
