298 Dr. G. Gore. Electric Currents [Jan. 6, 



Tig. I. 















1 -1011 











hown in fig. 1, each alternate one containing a liqnid of a different 

 degree of concentration. Two liquids were employed, viz., one com- 

 posed of a half saturated solution of potassic nitrate, and the other, 

 one volume of a saturated solution of the same salt, mixed with 320 

 volumes of water. Bach alternate vessel contained respectively 

 3 ounces by measure of the weaker, and 1\ oz. of the stronger 

 solution. The two terminal vessels contained the stronger liquid, 

 and were provided with small platinum wire electrodes inserted 

 through holes near the bottoms of the vessels. The liquids in the 

 vessels were connected in single series by means of inverted bent 

 tubes of glass, of half-an-inch diameter, the alternate tubes being 

 filled with the respective solutions. The end of each of the tubes at 

 which the two liquids came into contact, was previously covered with 

 a wet septum of parchment paper tightly secured by means of string. 

 On connecting the series with the galvanometer, a feeble electric 

 current was obtained, which by interchanging the two terminal 

 vessels was proved not to arise from any differences of the electrodes. 

 The direction of the current was downwards through the sep turns and 

 surfaces of contact of the two liquids. 



As according to statements in text books on physics a solution of 

 potassic nitrate is one in which diffusion is not increased and which 

 is not decomposed by a diaphragm, I conclude from the above results 

 that the electric current obtained was probably due to greater rapidity 

 of diffusion at the alternate septums where the heavier liquid was 

 above than at the others. 



Experiment 2. — In order to ascertain whether an electric current 

 would be similarly produced by a different kind of liquid, I took a 

 series of thirty-five such elements. The liquids consisted of a strong 

 aqueous solution of cupric sulphate freely acidulated with sulphuric 

 acid, and a mixture of \\ drachm of the same solution with 65 oz. of 

 water. A somewhat stronger electric current, similar in direction, 

 was obtained, and probably arose from a similar cause to that in the 

 previous experiment. 



Experiment 3. — In order to determine whether an alternation of 

 osmose and diffusion of the two liquids obtained by the presence of a 



