﻿244 
  Trowbridge^ 
  McKay 
  and 
  Hoioe 
  — 
  Electrical 
  Discharges. 
  

  

  similarly 
  diminished, 
  since 
  the 
  entire 
  strength 
  of 
  the 
  battery 
  

   served 
  to 
  charge 
  the 
  condensers. 
  

  

  In 
  the 
  phenomenon 
  of 
  the 
  explosion 
  produced 
  by 
  electrical 
  

   discharges 
  we 
  are, 
  therefore, 
  dealing 
  with 
  electrostatic 
  effects 
  

   rather 
  than 
  with 
  heat 
  phenomena; 
  and 
  very 
  high 
  potentials 
  

   bring 
  to 
  light 
  in 
  a 
  marked 
  way 
  the 
  phenomena 
  of 
  the 
  electro- 
  

   static 
  field. 
  With 
  differences 
  of 
  potential 
  above 
  one 
  million 
  

   volts 
  ordinary 
  air 
  becomes 
  a 
  fairly 
  good 
  conductor. 
  The 
  

   electric 
  force 
  diminishes 
  much 
  more 
  rapidly 
  with 
  the 
  distance 
  

   than 
  the 
  magnetic 
  force 
  (shown 
  by 
  Hertz). 
  Phenomena 
  of 
  

   light 
  are 
  produced 
  in 
  the 
  electrostatic 
  field 
  ; 
  and 
  there 
  are 
  

   movements 
  of 
  molecules 
  which 
  may 
  be 
  embraced 
  under 
  the 
  

   broad 
  term 
  ionization. 
  

  

  We 
  are, 
  therefore, 
  led 
  to 
  the 
  following 
  conclusions 
  : 
  

  

  1. 
  The 
  explosive 
  effect 
  of 
  electrical 
  discharges 
  is 
  due 
  to 
  an 
  

   electrostatic 
  effect 
  rather 
  than 
  to 
  a 
  heat 
  effect. 
  

  

  2. 
  A 
  strong 
  analogy 
  exists 
  between 
  the 
  terminal 
  conditions 
  

   existing 
  in 
  electrical 
  discharges 
  and 
  those 
  of 
  the 
  electrodes 
  of 
  an 
  

   ordinary 
  voltaic 
  cell. 
  The 
  electrical 
  density 
  on 
  the 
  terminals 
  

   of 
  a 
  condenser 
  is 
  proportional 
  to 
  the 
  strength 
  of 
  current 
  which 
  

   the 
  charging 
  battery 
  is 
  capable 
  of 
  producing. 
  

  

  3. 
  The 
  electrostatic 
  field, 
  diminishing 
  much 
  more 
  rapidly 
  

   with 
  the 
  distance 
  than 
  the 
  electromagnetic 
  field, 
  doubtless 
  has 
  

   its 
  energy 
  consumed 
  in 
  molecular 
  movements. 
  

  

  Jefferson 
  Physical 
  Laboratory, 
  

   Harvard 
  University, 
  U. 
  S. 
  

  

  