Science for the School and Family, Part I. Natural PhilosophyHooker, Worthington
Science
Science for the School and Family, Part I. Natural Philosophy
Hooker, Worthington
Physics; Science
Let a metallic plate, _a_, Fig. 265, be suspended by a chain to
the prime conductor, and another plate, _b_, be supported upon a
conducting stand. If figures of paper or pith be placed between
these plates as the machine is worked they will move about briskly
between the plates, being alternately attracted and repelled by the
communication of the electricity.
[Illustration: Fig. 266.]
The experiment represented in Fig. 266 is a very beautiful one.
Let _a b_ be a brass rod with an arch, _g_, by which it can be
suspended from the end of the prime conductor. To this rod are
suspended three bells, the two outer ones by chains, and the middle
one by a silk thread; also two clappers, _d_ and _e_, by silk
threads. The middle bell has a chain, _f_, connecting it with the
table--that is, with the earth. The operation of the apparatus is
this: As soon as the outer bells become electrified they attract
the clappers. These, on touching the bells, receive a portion of
their electricity, and are repelled. They therefore strike against
the middle bell, to which they impart the electricity which they
received from the outer bells. They swing back again then in the
same state that they were in at first, and now are attracted again
by the outer bells. This goes on so long as the electricity is
communicated.
[Illustration: Fig. 267.]
Let there be pasted upon a slip of glass a continuous line of
tin-foil, going back and forth, as represented in Fig. 267, and
let there be a ball, G, connected with one end of, the foil. The
word light is made upon it by cutting out with a sharp knife little
portions of the foil. If now with your finger on one end of the
line of foil at _a_, you present the ball G to the prime conductor,
the electric fluid will run along the whole length of the line from
G to _a_. In doing this the letters are beautifully illuminated, a
spark being produced at each interruption of the line. So rapid is
the passage of the electricity that the whole appears to the eye
simultaneously illuminated.
[Illustration: Fig. 268.]
382. =The Insulating Stool.=--This consists of a wooden top, _a_,
Fig. 268, supported by glass legs, _c c_. It can be made simply by
boring holes in the four corners of a piece of board sufficiently
large to admit the necks of bottles. Many amusing experiments can
be tried with this. A person standing upon it can be highly charged
with electricity by holding a chain connected with the prime
conductor. The hair will rise up as represented in Fig. 263, and he
can give electric shocks to other persons from any part of his body.
[Illustration: Fig. 269.]
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