The Tiffin tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1868-1887, 1874-07-09
Talk about Electricity.
THOMAS TALBOT.

it euriOus?" And q group of eager
children gathered around the desk
where their teacher was sitting. The
kind teacher laid down her book and
said "Well, Eddy, what is it that Il
so curious?n
"Why, ] WAS rubbing this piece OF
glass to make IL bright, and when ]
put 1t near some pieces Of paper they
came right up to It, just as piece Of
iron does TO q magnet"
at must be magnet" said Phoebe.
Il thought, though, that they we're a.
ways OF iron, and would attract moth
ing else. Isn't it the strangest thing
You ever saw"
'.No," said the teacher, sit is not 9
magnet, nor is it any stranger than
that the magnet should attract iron" /"
"Fhen what makes it draw the pa
per to it,"
"rnere are many other things be-
sides magnetism whIch tend to draw
OOdIes tO each other. Ia this case II
is due TO electricity"
"But all glass doesn't attract paper;
nor will this now" said Eddy, Vainly
attempting to repeat the experiment.
"NO; it is only when rubbed with
wOJlen, 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
q neutral state, that Is, rs much Of one
kind as another. When q piece ol
glass is rubbed with q wooden cloth,
the friction separates the two electric
tiles; the negative going to Che 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 bodies will also at
tract those which are neutral"
aft" said Joseph, call bodies con-
tain electricity, why do they not
draw the paper when rubbed? Ircn
or wood will not"
''BecIuse these bodies are conduct
ors-that Is, they wilt allow the elee-
trieity TO pass through them freely,
and as fast as the electricity Is seps-
rated, one kind flows off through the
hand or whatever it rests on, while
the other kind flows into IL, keeping
it neutral all the time. But glass Is 8
non-cOnduetOr and will not allow the
electricity TO escape readily. II Is 9
partial conductor, however, and II
charged will return slowly to a neu
trail state This was the case with
GlIe piece Eddy has, wneu ~ w0uft
not pick up the bits Of paper
"But thought 'iectricity was fire, y
said little Jennie. 'FAther says
lightning is Electricity; and it wal
lightning that burnt Mf. Meals
barn."
"When the tension Of electricity Il
80 great as to cause it to pass through
8 non-eonducting substance, it has
the appearance OF sparks; or If ths
tensiUn is very great, or the resi- st.
ance small, it gases like q fiame
When at rest for passing through {
conducting body, it is invisible. i
we were to Tu0 piece Of gutta per
cha or sealingwax 1t would become
charged with negative electricity.
Then il We should hold II near piece
of glass, positively charged, the ten
sion would be 80 great that the slec
Ttricity would escape frnm one to th'
other through the air, which is No..
conductor. ia the form OF sparks"
"I should think you might light {
fire in that way" said r idy.
$50 they could" !" replied the teach
er. Sufficient heat may be produced
by an electrical current not only u
light fires, but to melt metal anC
even turn 1t into vapOr, so that /
will pass off into the air like steam
The most brilliant artificial light'
which can be produced are made IL
the same way. In the case OF Mr.
Head's barn, = cloud charged perhaps
with negative electricity passed owe
il. This would draw the positiv,
current to the surface OF the glound
and when the tension became greal
enough the electricity would escap
from the cloud with q loud report
and striking the barn would Of eoursl
set 1t on fire. Sometimes it pssse
from the earth to the cloud"
"But can 9 spark be drawn from
anything that ls electrified ?" aske'
Joseph. -tsaE e u.-I
ayes; and from anything throngl
which an electric current can be pass
ed. Wouldn't you think it strang
to see any one touch of gun with
piece Of ice pr
"Hov funny" exclaimed Eddy
while Phoebe said 'ACould one d
that? / should think ice would pu
out fire."
81 have seen It done" said Mis-
|, Horton. "The person who doe
it stands on = piece Of glass, and tn
r gun is suspended by silk cords Thes
, substances are non-eOnduetors, and d
not allow the electricity 10 pas
through them. Then the cone OF th
gun IS connected by 3 wire TO the mel
ative pole of a galYanie battery, =
apparatus by which electricity Is pre-
duced. The person who shoots tn
gun takes hold with one hAnd Of
wire attached to g positive pole, an
with the other hand brings q piece 9
, ice near the cone. A spark will the
pass between the ice and the CONF
which will ignite the powder an
shoot the gun. But ss IL Is time fc
school now, We cannot talk any ionf
, er this time. ."-OHr FfreSide Friend.