The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1853-08-20
From the N. " .I.y.ld
ooiehhno structures on the mechanicaI Ex-
PLANTATION OF the ZigxaK Path or tho EIe
spark by Prof q. N. Stoddard, OF bIiami
Univcrsity -1''.- i" -T1-'--- :"


! PLANTATION OF the ZigxaK Path or the EIeotrt,
spark by Prof o. N. Stoddard, or Miam
| University -. Il II -
| The zgzag path which the electric spark usually de
ncHoes Is one o The most marked among the varied phs
Domena OF this wonderful agent Says Blot ..The zg
gag path OF The electric spark is well explained by lie
compression OF he air IN front which turns from il.
course; the air is again compressed and the shark i,
detected 40 different direction" This type OF mos
OF the explanations given, and which, for Distinction
sake, ] call mechanical IL assumes that The spark in
lis passage through the air bears 10 the relation
That any other body would under the ccunsta noes
The sa,he method Of ISOLATION used in estimating the dis
arbing eject OF an electric medium upon body moving
through 1, must be used here The laws which govern
me deiecuon OF body by lateral force, from rec
tinear course in which is moving also govetn here
he Terms oil The explanation shut US up TO these cond
ons, ana we are not allowed in the invesga TO IN
uoduce supposieDs or draw conclusions which y,rti-
ally cancel the pre- misses II the question is placed en-
Heiy tas II s IN the above expanaion) within the prov
ince OF mechanics. then by the laws OF mechanics il
must be Judged, and by them II stand or fall TIE
explanation that the zgzag path OF the eecck spark is
owrg TO ibe compression ol the atmosphere in 'front.'
wolves several suggestions FIRST, that the electric
agent, or that which produces these phenomena ia itself
body, solid liquid fluid. and independent OF The me-
dun which i itayerses Secondly that the spark is not
symmetrical in form, &c. ..e,E
That electricity is natural body Just as distinct from
and independent OIL other forms of mailer as hey are OF
each other, u is mol necessary here 10 affirm deny
That there in every electric discharge mass OF matter
passing IRON one poiDt 10 another may he questioned
without the charge OF cx,ravagance suffice il TO say
leaves US no option Il must be of some kind ca.
Pabe OF accumulation within definite Iimits-of being
discharged with amazing velocity and intense energy
must be inert, Offering resistance to change of state In
word it must have all the essential properties Of mai
ter But granting ha, it ia body, and that the spark
ls caused ny its motion through resisting medium,
then follows tha, the spark is symme rical in
iorm A body moving in homogeneous medium OF
uniform density would not be detected from right line
unless the resistance were greater side than on
another ANA
perfect sphere in motion in an atmosphere OF uni
form density could not be changed from its original d.
rection by The resistance OF that atmosphere however
great might be The resistance the right Of he line
odecon would he counterbaanced by an equal amount
on The eti the resistance above by equal amount be
low AS DETECTION from right line take place 10
moving body unless there be greater force on one
side than on another and such of force
lists IN the present therefore detection could not oc
cur. he same would hold true OF any regular body pro-
viaed me line along which il moves comedies with any
principal axis around which the parts OF the body are
symmttHcalIy arranged. II, however, the medium be
composed OF strata OF different density. as in The
case OF our atmosphere then the electric spark, if lis
course be obque across the strata, would describe
straight line seems hardly necessary 10 here
Wha s 90 Obvious 70 any one possessing any knowledge
line under these conditions becomes curve. 1t could
not possibly be zigzag But suppose grant that The
spark is not symmetricaltbat il may change lis form al
any point, and al any number OF points, along It's path
even then the line could not become broken The
excess pressure on one side Of the spark arising om tb
condensation OF the atmosphere would indeed produce
deviation. tut the case is simply that in which body
acted upon by an impusive force in direction and
constant force in another. curved path will inevitably
be the result ziczag path would in this be as
marked uansgression OF physical laws the SUPPOSE
tion OF some OF the ancient philosophers that cannon
ball. In lis descent 10 the earth. tell by succession of
steps The last suppositon, that the spark turned from
It's course by meeting with strata OF varying density
elects the fact that these variations constitute regularly
increasing decreasing series; and "a the number OF
strata becomes indefinitely large the deectons therefore
viii be indefinite IN number, and each ind hnely small
again forming curve have not deemed necessary to
enter at all into detail IN presenting this question: and for
the obvious reason that the principles involved so sim
Pile, and their application Direct ha, statement
OF them is all that needed to bring The subject fully with
in the OF every have also passed
one case which perhaps does really exist viz; that the
apark Is not Only impeed from point ~ given drec-
on bat that the point towards which Is lmpced also
attracts This neglected berause the two forces act
in the same iime-,he impelllng, the other attract
ingand may, therefore, in justice, be treated
II these forces found TO be variable, then the
would be changed IN form; bvt 1t would slll be curve
IL, then. we grant all the premises embraced in the
PLANTATION stated at the beginnng-viZ that the electric
spark is material. independent body, and that it is
not symmetrical IN orn-even then the path canno,
be broken angular; if any deviation from sraigh,
line occurs. II must be in curves. The only import
ance which attach TO decision OF this question
that the relation which II assumes TO exist between
the spark and the medium n which it is produced 10
not the rue one. It is not my intention at this time
to attempt any explanation OF this peculiarly IL The
electric dscarge the period has for anything
more than probhble conjecture The indications are,
indeed enough TO the direction in which the truth
is 10 be sought That u will be found ultimately that
The relations of electricity 10 matter OF a molecu
lar character is more than probable but the precise
conditions OF these relations vet 10 be learned Pro-
fessor Farrady's statement though not expana,ion
may embrace The elements Of one, 10 be modified and
wrought into form by succeeding laborers. The state.
men is briefly this "That the path OF the spark is the
resultant OF all the inducve forces acting through and by
The ins,rumenaiy OF the medium in which the discharge
takes place, and that whatever cause produce
irngulary in the action OF these force would produce
corresponding irregularities in the resultant" An OBJ
serving mind cannot fail TO perceive iha, The line OF dis
covery in electricity and in those sciences which hold
intmae relationship TO il, all appear To converge 10
some remote point, though that point may never be
reached The way seems 10 be preparing Tor some sub
lime generalization which shall include those related sc
ences under great Law. general as thai which
holds The heavens and the earth in its grasp Will tbe out
Of place to suggest in this conneYon that the individual
who shall finally eliminate from the vast collection OF
materials this law, and by explain not only what is
regular but what ia seemingly irregular will stand side
by side with The great astronomer And the hour OF
IT. al discovery is not fanciful 10 suppose, will be sg
nszed above every other period in the annals OF
is this exaggera,ion Wan nle time viii show
Science. the product OF eternal afford 10 bde its
time. Hs as.s.N.7.
CHINA ArrARs.--The North China Herald of May 2i
contains an account OF interview between Mr. Mar
shall the r,can comnte teeioney. and committee OF