204 Prof. E. Edlund on the 



is a consequence of the laws of hydrodynamics ; and it is im- 

 possible to give any other interpretation to the fact if we will 

 continue to admit that the electric material is a fluid. 



Now let us suppose a single conducting wire or a liquid 

 column/, of which the section is 1, and also a number n of 

 other conductors, / , /i, / 2 , &c, of the same material, section, 

 and length as the preceding, placed side by side. Let us then 

 suppose that a current i passes through the conductor / and 

 afterwards simultaneously through the conductors / ,/i,/ 2 , &c. 

 placed side by side. Each of these latter will therefore 



have to be traversed bv a current = - i. Now we know 



J n 



by experiment that the resistance to be overcome by the cur- 

 rent in order to pass simultaneously through the w conductors 



/ ,/j, / 2 , &c. constitutes - of the resistance to be overcome 



when the current passes through /. According to the above 

 account, the counterpressure upon the unit of section of the n 



conductors will be likewise - of the counterpressure in the 



single conductor/, the resistance being determined exclusively 

 by the amount of the counterpressure upon the unit of section. 

 It hence follows, therefore, that in each of the conductors 



f ,fi,/2, &c. the resistance will in the present case be - of 



what it is in / We therefore find ourselves confronted by 

 the unexpected result that galvanic resistance is proportional 

 to the intensity of the current. It must, however, be observed 

 that this demonstration refers only to solid and liquid, and not 

 at all to gaseous bodies, to which the above experiment is nut 

 applicable. 



The above-mentioned result is in direct opposition to the 

 opinion hitherto generally admitted, namely that the resistance 

 is independent of the intensity of the current. But if that 

 opinion is still to be maintained, it will be necessary, in con- 

 sequence of the foregoing, to assume that the fluid which we 

 call electricity is governed by quite different laws of motion 

 from those to which the other fluids known to us are subject. 

 It has moreover been demonstrated in the above-mentioned 

 memoir, that although the formulated proposition may contra- 

 dict the common opinion, it is by no means contrary to the 

 experimental results upon which that opinion has been believed 

 to be founded. 



In consequence of the results of experiment, as also from 

 the theoretical consideration above given, we have, then, as 



