Greetings Illustrious artists of CS,
We are still with Farraday in his lab.
Note 664: I shall have occasion in these *Researches*, also, to class
bodies together according to certain relations derived from their
electrical actions; and wishing to express those relations without at
the same time involving the expression of any hypothetical views, I
intend using the following names and terms. Many bodies are decomposed
directly by the electric current, their elements being set free; these
I propose to call *electrolytes*. Water, therefore, is an electrolyte.
The bodies which, like nitric or sulphuric acids, are decomposed in a
secondary manner, are not included under this term. Then for
*electro-chemically decomposed*, I shall often use the term
*electrolyzed*, derived in the same way, and implying that the body
spoken of is seperated into its components under the influence of
electricity: it is analogous in its sense and sound to *analyze*, which
is derived in a similar manner. The term *electrolytical* will be
understood at once: muriatic acid is electrolytical, boric acid is not.
Note 665: Finally, I require a term to express those bodies which can
pass to the *electrodes*, or, as they are usually called, the poles.
Sustances are frequently spoken of as being *electro-negative*, or
*electro-positive*, according as they go under the supposed influence of
a direct attraction to the negative or positive pole. But these terms
are much to significant for the use to which I should have to put them;
for though the meanings are perhaps right, they are only hypothetical,
and may be wrong; and then, through a very imperceptical, but still very
dangerous, because continual,influence, they do great injury to science,
by contracting and limiting the habitual views of those engaged in
pursuing it. I propose to distinguish such bodies by calling those
*anions* (that which goes up) which go to the *anode* of the decomposing
body; and those passing to the *cathode*, *cations* (that which goes
down); and when I have occasion to speak of these together, I shall call
them *ions*. (please note the word relationships of cations,
cathode-ions; and anions, anode-ions). Thus the chloride of lead is an
*electrolyte*, and when *electrolized* evolves the two *ions*, clorine
and lead, the former being an *anion* and the latter a *cation*.
Note 666: These terms being once well-defined, will, I hope, in their
use enable me to avoid much periphrasis and ambiguity of expression. I
do not mean to press them into service more frequently than will be
required, for I am fully aware that names are one thing and science
another.
Note 667: It will be well understood that I am giving no opinion
respecting the nature of the electric current now, beyound what I have
done on former occasions; and that though I speak of the current as
proceeding from the parts which are positive to those which are
negative, it is merely in accordance with the conventional, though in
some degree tacit, agreement entered into by scientific men, that they
may have a constant, certain, and definite means of refering to the
direction of the forces of that current.
---stop---
Now we have seen that Farraday set up an arbitrary direction of
electric current flow, so as to provide a reference for his work. He
chose as his standard the reference of Gilbert. For almost two hundred
years the direction of current flow worked fine for us. During those
years the atomic theory of atoms, electrons, protons,etc. did not exist.
The electrical formula during that time were not polar (were not
sensitive to current direction). Looking at Ohm`s law you will see that
it does not make any diference which way the current flows. With the
advent of the rectifing diode and vacuum tubes and semi-conductors, the
direction of flow of electricity is very important and must be accounted
for. Under the conventional flow ( entering the anode and leaving the
cathode) we really didn`t care which way the current went, it was just a
convenient standard. Under the atomic theory we know that current leaves
the cathode and enters the anode, requiring us to now pay attention to
the direction of current flow for the successful operation of our modern
electrical components. Please note that with our new standard of current
direction it still agrees with the flow of current in the earth, which
Farraday used as his reference. Earth currents now are known to flow
from west to east under the atomic theory.
From Physical Geology,4th edition, by Dr. Leet, Harvard University and
Dr. Judson, Princeton University.
We can picture the earth`s magnetic field as a series of lines of
force. A magnet, free to move in space, will align itself parallel to
one of these lines. At a point north of the Prince of Wales Island at
about 75N and 100W the north *seeking* end (south end) of the magnet
needle will dip vertically downward. This is the *north magnetic* or
*dip pole*.
-end-
I hope this was of value to those seeking knowledge. It helps us to
understand the *why* and *how* of making CS .
Bless you Bob Lee
--
oozing on the muggy shore of the gulf coast
l...@fbtc.net
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