Series 15-18 [Phil. trans., 1838-43. Other electrical papers from Quar. jour. of science and Phil. mag.] 1844B. Quaritch, 1844 |
Common terms and phrases
Annales de Chimie antimony apparatus appears atoms attraction axis bismuth bodies cadmium cause centre chemical action chemical affinity chemical force chemical theory circle cold conducting power conductors connected contact force contact theory described dilute nitric acid dilute sulphuric acid dipped direction disc effect electric current electro-magnetic electrolyte electromotive force excited experiments Faraday fish fluid galvanometer Gymnotus heat helix immersed inches induction iron and platinum lead magnetic pole matter mercury motion muriatic acid needle negative nickel nitrous obtained opposite oxide paper particles pass peroxide phenomena Philosophical piece platina polarity positive potassa produce a current repulsion rhodium round rubbed side silver Sir Humphry solution of sulphuret spark spiral steam steam-globe strong acid strong nitric acid strong solution substance sulphuret of potassium sulphuric acid surface thermo current tion tube voltaic pile weak acid whilst wire zinc
Popular passages
Page 290 - What do we know, he asks, of the atom apart from its force ? You imagine a nucleus which may be called a, and surround it by forces which may be called m ; 'to my mind the a or nucleus vanishes, and the substance consists in the powers of m.
Page 286 - The metal is a conductor; but how can this be, except space be a conductor ? for it is the only continuous part of the metal, and the atoms not only do not touch (by the theory), but as we shall see presently, must be assumed to be a considerable way apart. Space therefore must be a conductor, or else the metals could not conduct, but would be in the situation of the black sealing wax referred to a little while ago.
Page 291 - A mind just entering on the subject may consider it difficult to think of the powers of matter independent of a separate something to be called the matter, but it is certainly far more difficult, and indeed impossible, to think of or imagine that matter independent of the powers. Now the powers we know and recognize in every phenomenon of the creation, the abstract matter in none; why then assume the existence of that of which we are ignorant, which we cannot conceive, and for which there is no philosophical...
Page 290 - ... all our perception and knowledge of the atom, and even our fancy, is limited to ideas of its powers : what thought remains on which, to hang the imagination of an a independent of the acknowledged forces...
Page 285 - ... all the facts of what is usually called the atomic theory in chemistry, were dismissed because they were not expressive enough, and did not say all that was in the mind of him who used the word atom in their stead.
Page 293 - My desire has been rather to bring certain facts from electrical conduction and chemical combination to bear strongly upon our views regarding the nature of atoms and matter, and so to assist in distinguishing in natural philosophy our real knowledge, ie the knowledge of facts and laws, from that, which, though it has the form of knowledge, may, from its including so much that is mere assumption, be the very reverse.
Page 103 - ... takes place. So we can change chemical force into the electric current, or the current into chemical force. The beautiful experiments of Seebeck and Peltier show the convertibility of heat and electricity ; and others by Oersted and myself show the convertibility of electricity and magnetism. But in no case, not even in those of the Gymnotus and Torpedo, is there a pure creation or a production of power without a corresponding exhaustion of something to supply it.
Page 288 - A piece of potassium contains less potassium than an equal piece of the potash formed by it and oxygen. We may cast into potassium oxygen atom for atom, and then again both oxygen and hydrogen in a twofold number of atoms, and yet, with all these additions, the matter shall become less and less, until it is not two-thirds of its original volume. If...
Page 293 - The view now stated of the constitution of matter would seem to involve necessarily the conclusion that matter fills all space, or, at least, all space to which gravitation extends...
Page 267 - At present I believe ordinary induction in all cases to be an action of contiguous particles, consisting in a species of polarity, instead of being an action of either particles or masses at sensible distances ; and if this be true, the distinction and establishment of such a truth must be of the greatest consequence to our further progress in the investigation of the nature of electric forces.