# Experimental researches in electricity

| 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 ​ |
* Preface to the 1849 edition
* Tyndall's Introduction to the 1869 edition
CONTENTS
* I.§ 1. Identity of Electricities from Different Sources................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................1
* i.Voltaic Electricity................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................3 ii.Ordinary Electricity................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................7 iii.Magneto-Electricity................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................22 iv.Thermo-Electricity................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................24 v.Animal Electricity................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................24
* §2. Relation by Measure of Common and Voltaic Electricity................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................27
* II.3. New Law of Electric Conduction................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................32
* 4. On Conducting Power Generally................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................41
* III.5. Electro-chemical Decomposition ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................47
* ¶ i.New Conditions of Electro-chemical Decomposition................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................48 ¶ ii.Influence of Water in such Decomposition................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................54 ¶ iii.Theory of Electro-chemical Decomposition................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................55
* IV.6. Power of Platina, etc., to Induce Combination................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................84
* V.5. Electro-chemical Decomposition- Continued (Nomenclature)................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................111
* iv.Some General Conditions of Electro-chemical Decomposition................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................115 ¶ v.Volta-electrometer................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................122 ¶ vi.Primary and Secondary Results................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................133 ¶ vii.Definite Nature and Extent of Electro-chemical Forces................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................145
* 7. Absolute Quantity of Electricity in the Molecules of Matter................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................163
* VI.8. Electricity of the Voltaic Pile................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................172
* ¶ i.Simple Voltaic Circles................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................172 ¶ ii.Electrolytic Intensity................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................203 ¶ iii.Associated Voltaic Circles; or Battery................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................211 ¶ iv.Resistance of an Electrolyte to Decomposition................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................218 ¶ v.General Remarks on the Active Battery................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................226
* VII.9. On the Source of power in the Voltaic Pile................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................232
* ¶ i.Exciting Electrolytes being Good Conductors................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................238 ¶ ii.Inactive Conducting Circles containing an Electrolyte................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................241 ¶ iii.Active Circles containing Sulphuret of Potassium................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................259
* VIII.§ 9.On the source of Power in the Voltaic Pile —Continued................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................271
* ¶ iv.The Exciting Chemical Force affected by Temperature................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................271 ¶ v.The Exciting Chemical Force affected by Dilution.................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................284 ¶ vi.Differences in the Order of the Metallic Elements of Voltaic Circles................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................295 ¶ vii.Active Voltaic Circles and Batteries without Metallic Contact................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................298 ¶ viii.Considerations of the Sufficiency of Chemical Action................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................302 ¶ ix.Thermo-electric Evidence................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................308 ¶ x.Improbable Nature of the Assumed Contact Force................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................312
* On A Peculiar Voltaic Condition of Iron (Schoenbein)................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................317
* A Peculiar Voltaic Condition of Iron (Farady).................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................321,330
* 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