Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1882-05-24

WHY AND How TIE ELECTRIC LIGHT
BURNS.-If we examine one of the electric
lamps in the streets, we shall find it con
sists Of two rods. one pointing upward
from the bottom of the lamp, the other
hanging downward. The rods seem tc
touch. and the brilliant flame is exactly
where they seem to meet. Once day 8
man comes round with bag of the rods
He takes out the old rods that we're burned
the night before, and places new set in
each lamp. After he has gone about, as il
he were putting new wicks into the lamps,
and each is ready for IFS nights work, all
the lamps are lighted in broad day, to see
that every one is in proper trim. They
are allowed TO burn until the men have
walked about in the streets and examined
each lamp. If all are burning well, they
are put out till it begins to grow dark. II
ono fails to burn properly, man goes to
that lamp to see what is the matter. The
rods are made ofacurious black substance,
like charcoal, that is called carbon. When
the lamp is out the two rods touch each
other. In order to light the lamp they
are pulled apart, and if you look at the
fame through smoked glass you will see
that tho rods do not quite touch. There
is small space between their points, and
this space is filled with fire. Look at the
other parts of the rods, or the copper wires
that extend along tho streets, They have
no light, no heat, no sound. The wires
arc cold, dark and silent. If VIC were to
push the two rods in the lamp close to-
gether. the light and heat would disappear
and the curious Kissing sound would
cease. Why is this? Let US go TO the
woods near some brook, and it may be
that we can understand this matter.
Here is tho brook, flowing quickly
along, smooth, deep, and without ripple.
We walk beside the stream, and come to 4
place where there are high rocks and
steep, stony banks. Here the channel is
very narrow. and the water is no longer
smooth and silent. 1t boils and foams
between the rocks. There are eddies and
whrlpools, and at last we come to the
narrowest part Of all. Here the once dark
and silent water roars and foams in white,
stormy rapids. There are sounds, and
furious leaping and rushing water, and
clouds Of spray. Why is the smooth dark
water so white with rage, so impetuous
so full of sounds and turmoil? The rocks
are the cause. The way is narrow and
steep. The waters are hemmed In, and
there is grand display of flashing white
foam and roaring water falls, as the waters
struggle together to get past the narrow
place.
II is the same with the electricity how-
ing through the large copper wires. 1t
passes down one wire into the other,
through the lamp, in silence and darkness,
SO long as the rods touch and the path is
clear. When the rods in the lamp are
pulled apart, there is space to be got
over, an obstruction, like the rocks in the
bed of the brook. The electricity, like the
water, struggles to get over the hindrance
in its path. and it grows white-hot with
anger, and flames and Kisses as it leaps
across the narrow space between the rods
There is another kind Of electric lamp,
used in houses; il has a smaller and softer
light, steady, white. and very beautiful.
In these lamps, also, we have something
like the narrow place in the brook. They
are made with slender loops of carbon
enclosed in glass globes. The electricity
flowing silently through dark wire
enters the lamp. and finds only narrow
thread ON which il can travel to reach the
homes going wire, and, in its struggle tc
get past, it heats the tiny thread of carbon
to whiteness. Like live coal, this slen
der thread gives us mild, soft light n:
long as the current flows. 1t seems calm
and still, but is enduring the same fury o
the electricity that is shown in the larger
lamps.
This is the main idea on which thest
lamps are made: A stream of electricity il
set flowing from a dynamo.electric ma
chine through wire until it meets mar
row place or a break in the wire. Thel
it seeks to get past the obstruction, ant
there is a grand putting forth of energy
and in this way the electric force, though
itself invisible, is made known to our eye
by beautiful lieht.-.Sk. Nicholas for .NrD