Experimental researches in electricity

by Michael Faraday

Titlepage to the 1849 second edition Experimental Researches In Electricity. By Michael Faraday, D.C.L. F.R.S. Fullerian Profesor Of Chemistry In The Royal Institution. Corresponding Member, Etc. Of The Royal And Imperial Academies Of Science Of Paris, Petersburgh, Florence, Copenhagen, Berlin, Gottingen, Modena, Stockholm, Palermo, Etc. Etc. In Two Volumes. Vol. I. Second Edition. Reprinted from the Philosophical Transactions of 1831-1838. London: Richard And John Edward Taylor, printers And Publishers To The University Of London, Red Lion Court, Fleet Street. 1849.

Titlepage to the 1869 edition EVERYMAN'S LIBRARY EDITED BY ERNEST RHYS SCIENCE FARADAY'S SELECT RESEARCHES IN ELECTRICITY - WITH AN APPRECIATION BY PROFESSOR TYNDALL

1869 frontmatter

Chapters (not listed in original)

• Preface to the 1849 edition
• Tyndall's Introduction to the 1869 edition

CONTENTS

1. I.

   § 1. Identity of Electricities from Different Sources ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

   1

2. 1. i.

      Voltaic Electricity ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

      3

   2. ii.

      Ordinary Electricity ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

      7

   3. iii.

      Magneto-Electricity ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

      22

   4. iv.

      Thermo-Electricity ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

      24

   5. v.

      Animal Electricity ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

      24

3. §2. Relation by Measure of Common and Voltaic Electricity ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

   27

4. II.

   3. New Law of Electric Conduction ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

   32

5. 4. On Conducting Power Generally ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

   41

6. III.

   5. Electro-chemical Decomposition ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

   47

7. 1. ¶ i.

      New Conditions of Electro-chemical Decomposition ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

      48

   2. ¶ ii.

      Influence of Water in such Decomposition ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

      54

   3. ¶ iii.

      Theory of Electro-chemical Decomposition ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

      55

8. IV.

   6. Power of Platina, etc., to Induce Combination ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

   84

9. V.

   5. Electro-chemical Decomposition- Continued (Nomenclature) ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

   111

10. 1. iv.

       Some General Conditions of Electro-chemical Decomposition ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

       115

    2. ¶ v.

       Volta-electrometer ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

       122

    3. ¶ vi.

       Primary and Secondary Results ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

       133

    4. ¶ vii.

       Definite Nature and Extent of Electro-chemical Forces ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

       145

11. 7. Absolute Quantity of Electricity in the Molecules of Matter ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

    163

12. VI.

    8. Electricity of the Voltaic Pile ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

    172

14. 1. ¶ i.

       Simple Voltaic Circles ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

       172

    2. ¶ ii.

       Electrolytic Intensity ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

       203

    3. ¶ iii.

       Associated Voltaic Circles; or Battery ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

       211

    4. ¶ iv.

       Resistance of an Electrolyte to Decomposition ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

       218

    5. ¶ v.

       General Remarks on the Active Battery ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

       226

15. VII.

    9. On the Source of power in the Voltaic Pile ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

    232

16. 1. ¶ i.

       Exciting Electrolytes being Good Conductors ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

       238

    2. ¶ ii.

       Inactive Conducting Circles containing an Electrolyte ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

       241

    3. ¶ iii.

       Active Circles containing Sulphuret of Potassium ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

       259

17. VIII.

    § 9.On the source of Power in the Voltaic Pile —Continued ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

    271

18. 1. ¶ iv.

       The Exciting Chemical Force affected by Temperature ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

       271

    2. ¶ v.

       The Exciting Chemical Force affected by Dilution. ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

       284

    3. ¶ vi.

       Differences in the Order of the Metallic Elements of Voltaic Circles ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

       295

    4. ¶ vii.

       Active Voltaic Circles and Batteries without Metallic Contact ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

       298

    5. ¶ viii.

       Considerations of the Sufficiency of Chemical Action ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

       302

    6. ¶ ix.

       Thermo-electric Evidence ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

       308

    7. ¶ x.

       Improbable Nature of the Assumed Contact Force ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

       312

19. On A Peculiar Voltaic Condition of Iron (Schoenbein) ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

    317

20. A Peculiar Voltaic Condition of Iron (Farady). ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

    321,330

21. Index ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

    333

Contents

Series I.

Summary

§. 1.Induction of electric currents

§. 2.Evolution of electricity from magnetism

§. 3.New electrical state or condition of matter

§. 4.Explication of Arago's magnetic phenomena

Series II.

§. 5.Terrestrial magneto-electric induction

§.6.Force and direction of magneto-electricinduction generally

Series III.

§.7.Identity of electricities from different sources

i Voltaic electricity

ii Ordinary electricity

iii Magneto-electricity

iv Thermo-electricity

v Animal electricity

§. 8.Relation by measure of common and voltaic electricity

Note respecting Ampère's inductive results after

Series IV.

§. 9.New law of electric conduction

§. 10.On conducting power generally

Series V.

§.11.Electro-chemical decomposition

¶ 1. New conditions of electro-chemical decomposition

¶ 2. Influence of water in such decomposition

¶ 3. Theory of electro-chemical decomposition

Series VI.

§. 12.Power of platina, &c. to induce combination

Series VII.

§. 11.*Electro-chemical decomposition continued (nomenclature)

¶ 4. Some general conditions of Electro-chemical decomposition

¶ 5. Volta-electrometer

¶ 6. Primary and secondary results

¶ 7. Definite nature and extent of electro-chemical forces

Electro-chemical equivalents

§. 13.Absolute quantity of Electricity in the molecules of matter

Series VIII.

§. 14. **Electricity of the voltaic pile

¶ 1. Simple voltaic circles

¶ 2. Electrolytic intensity

¶ 3. Associated voltaic circles; or battery

¶ 4. Resistance of an electrolyte to decomposition

¶ 5. General remarks on the active battery

Series IX.

§. 15. **Induction of a current on itself

Inductive action of currents generally

Series X.

§. 16. Improved voltaic battery

§. 17. Practical results with the voltaic battery

Series XI.

§. 18. On static induction

¶ 1. Induction an action of contiguous particles

¶ 2. Absolute charge of matter

¶ 3. Electrometer and inductive apparatus

¶ 4. Induction in curved lines

Conduction by glass, lac, sulphur, &c.

¶ 5. Specific inductive capacity

¶ 6. General results as to the nature of induction

Differential inductometer

Series XII.

¶ 7. Conduction or conductive discharge

¶ 8. Electrolytic discharge

¶ 9. Disruptive discharge

Insulation

as spark

as brush

positive and negative

Series XIII.

as glow

dark

¶ 10. Convection; or carrying discharge

¶ 11. Relation of a vacuum to electrical phenomena

§. 19.Nature of the electric current

its transverse forces

Series XIV.

§. 20.Nature of the electric force or forces

§. 21.Relation of the electric and magnetic forces

§. 22.Note on electrical excitation