The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1874-09-11
A Talk About Electricity.

''Do look here, Miss Horton Isn't
it curious ?" And group of eager
children gathered around the desk
where their teacher was sitting. The
kind teacher laid down hof book and
said Well, Eddy, what is it that is
so curious %
"Why, was rubbing this piece of
glass to make it bright, and when put
it near some pieces of paper they came
right up to it, just as a piece of iron
to magnet
g g It must be magnet" said Phoebe.
'I thought, though, that they were al
ways of iron, and would attract nothing
else. Isn't it the strangest thing you
ever saw ?''
No. said the teacher, sc it is not
magnet, nor is it any stranger than that
the magnet should attract iron"
"Then what makes it draw the paper
to it %
"There are many other things be-
sides magnetism which tend to draw
bodies to each other. In this case it is
due to electricity"
"But all glass doesn't attract paper /;
nor will this now,' said Eddy, vainly
attempting to repeat the experiment.
emo; it is only when rubbed with
wooden silk or some such substance
that it will do SO. Electricity is of two
kinds, called positive and negative,
which exist in all bodies, generally in
neutral state, that Is, as much of one
kind as another. When piece of glass
is rubbed with woolen cloth, the fric-
ton separates the two electricities the
negative going to the cloth, while the
positive remains in the glass. Now,
because all bodies have tendency to
become neutral, each kind attracts the
opposite and repels the same kind and
it is the same with any body which
is charged with electricity. Such bod
les will also attract those which are
neutral" s"
"If," said Joseph, call bodies con-
tain electricity, why do they not draw
the paper when rubbed? Iron or wood
will not"
because these bodies are conduct
ors-that is, they will allow the cleo
tricity to pass through them freely, and
as fast as the electricity is separated
one kind flows off through the hand or
whatever it rests on, while the other
kind flows into it, keeping it neutral
all the time. But glass is a non-con-
ductor and will not allow the electricity
to escape readily. It is partial con-
ductor, however, and if charged will
return slowly to a nentra1 state. This
| was the case with the piece Eddy had,
when it would not pick up the bits Of
paper"
"But thought Electricity was fire, ;
said little Jennie. '' Father says light
ming is Electricity, and it was lightning
that burnt Mr. Mead's barn"
"When the tension of electricity is Sc
great as to cause it to pass through 1
non-conducting substance it has th'
appearance of sparks or, if the tension
is very great, or the resistance small, i
gases like flame. When at rest O.
passing through conducting body, i
is invisible. If we were to rub piec
of guttapercha or sealng-wax it woul'
become charged with negative cleo
tricity. Then if we should hold it nea
piece of glass, positively charged, tn
tension would be- SO great that tn
3 electricity would escape from one t
the other through the air, which is
9 non-conductor, in the form of sparks.
r ST should think you might light
: fire in that way" said Eddy.
$50 you could" replied the teache
- Sufficient heat may be produced by a
electrical current not only to light ire
but to melt metal and even turn it int
e vapor, SO that it will pass off into th
II air like steam. The most brilliant art
l. fetal lights which can be produced III
d made in the same way. In the case I
g Mr.. Mead's barn, cloud charged pc
D. haps with negative electricity passe
over it. This would draw the positi
e current to the surface of the groun
and when the tension became gre