Elements of electricity and electro-chemistry

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1814 edition. Excerpt: ... most obvious during the morning and evening dew, and weakest in their intervals. Although the connexion of the circulation of water in the atmosphere with the production of its electrical phenomena is thus clearly pointed out, the immediate nature of this relation is by no means obvious. Volta discovered, that when water is rapidly converted into vapour, it leaves the vessel from which it has been evaporated, negative; and if the ascending vapour l)e received on an insulated piece of metal, it appears positive. Hence he concluded, that water in expanding has its capacity for electricity increased, and consequently receives it from such bodies as are contiguous: admitting this, the condensation of vapour must necessarily be attended with positive signs of electricity, and the circulation of this subtle fluid in the atmosphere would be analogous to, and attendant on the circulation of water. But This experiment may be made with great facility by placing a few lighted coals in a crucible, on the cap of a gold-leaf electrometer, and projecting a few drops of water on them, whilst an insulated tin funnel is placed about a foot or 18 inches above. The electrometer will be electrified negatively, and the insulated funnel positively. R it has been observed by De Sausure and others, that the electrical effects of evaporation are not uniform, being directly opposite when different vessels are employed, and scarcely at all perceptible when the evaporation proceeds slowly, as it does in nature. To this it may be replied, that by the employment of different materials for the evaporating vessel, counteracting causes are probably introduced, by admitting the interference of chemical action, or the contact of dissimilar bodies; and such anomalous results have...