If
I take this coppered piece and change sides, the copper will leave the
right-hand side and come over to the left side; what was before the
coppered plate comes out clean, and the plate which was clean comes out
coated with copper; and thus you see that the same copper we put into this
solution we can also take out of it by means of this instrument.
Putting that solution aside, let us now see what effect this instrument
will have upon water. Here are two little platinum-plates which I intend
to make the ends of the battery, and this (C) is a little vessel so shaped
as to enable me to take it to pieces, and shew you its construction. In
these two cups (A and B) I pour mercury, which touches the ends of the
wires connected with the platinum-plates. In the vessel (C) I pour some
water containing a little acid (but which is put only for the purpose of
facilitating the action; it undergoes no change in the process), and
connected with the top of the vessel is a bent glass tube (D), which may
remind you of the pipe which was connected with the gun barrel in our
furnace experiment, and which now passes under the jar (F). I have now
adjusted this apparatus, and we will proceed to affect the water in some
way or other. In the other case, I sent the water through a tube which was
made red-hot; I am now going to pass the electricity through the contents
of this vessel.
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