MR. GROVE ON THE GAS VOLTAIC BATTERY. 
95 
voltameter*, as in figs. 6 and 7> and allowed to remain so for thirty-six hours. At 
the end of that time 2‘1 cubic inches of mixed gas were evolved in the voltameter ; the 
liquid had risen in each of the hydrogen tubes of the battery to the extent of 1*5 cubic 
inch, and in the oxygen tubes 07 cubic inch, equalling altogether 22 cubic inches; 
there was therefore 0*1 cubic inch more of hydrogen absorbed in the battery tubes 
than was evolved in the voltameter. 
This experiment was several times repeated with the same general results; I give 
some of them in the annexed Table. 
Cubic inch of oxygen ab- 
Cubic inch of hydrogen ab- 
Cubic inch of oxygen 
Cubic inch of hydrogen 
Time. 
Number of 
sorbed in the battery cells. 
sorbed in the battery cells. 
evolved in voltameter. 
evolved in voltameter. 
cells. 
0-7 
1-4 
0-7 
1-4 
0-5 
1-2 
0*5 
w 
36 
hours. 
0-6 
1-4 
0-6 
1-3 
10 
0-6 
1-3 
0*5 
1-2 
0-6 
1-4 
0-6 
1-3 
Mean 0’6 
1-34 
0-58 
1-26 
We may observe generally in these experiments, that the hydrogen evolved in the 
voltameter is somewhat more than double the volume of the oxygen, and that a still 
extra quantity of hydrogen is absorbed in the battery. With regard to the excess of 
hydrogen in the voltameter, this, as is well known to electricians, is always observable 
in the electrolysis of water, and has been attributed by Faraday to the morn ready 
solubility of oxygen, and its tendency to form oxygenated water-f' ; but we have in the 
above experiments a still greater excess of hydrogen absorbed in the battery tubes ; 
this result previous experiments had led me to expect. In one of these I found vol- 
taic action produced by tubes charged alternately with hydrogen and water, and 
attributed it to the combination of hydrogen with the oxygen of atmospheric air in 
solution j;. Granting for the moment this explanation to be correct, in a gas battery 
charged with oxygen and hydrogen we should have, upon completion of the circuit, 
three distinct voltaic actions: — First, the principal action occasioned by the gases in 
the tubes reacting upon each other through the medium of the electrolyte, i. e. re- 
verting to fig. 4, an action in which the portions of the platinum exposed to the gases 
P P' 2*5 would be the efficient plates. Secondly, an action between the hydrogen at 
p' q' and the air in solution in the neighbourhood of the immersed portion of the plate 
q, r ; this would add to the general current, but would tend disproportionately to 
diminish the hydrogen. Thirdly, a local action between the hydrogen at p', q' and 
the air in solution around the part q', r' ; this would add nothing to the general cur- 
* These experiments were made with the battery fig. 1, though for more clearly showing the volumes of the 
gases the second form is represented in figures 6 and 7. The voltameter employed on this occasion had elec- 
trodes of fine platinum wire a quarter of an inch long. From the nature of the gas battery it is difficult to 
know the efficient surface of the plates. In ordinary batteries I have found, and stated some time ago, that 
for quantitative effects, the electrodes should be of the same size as the battery plates. 
f Experimental Researches, § 716, 717. + Phil. Mag., Dec. 1842, p. 419, Exp. 11. 
