Scientific American Supplement, No. 417, December 29, 1883 — John Shaqi
Scientific American Supplement, No. 417, December 29, 1883Various
Science
Scientific American Supplement, No. 417, December 29, 1883
Various
Science -- Periodicals
If the galvanometer be replaced by a telephone, no matter how the spiral
be moved, no sound will be heard, simply because the induced currents
produced consist of comparatively slow undulations, and not of sharp
variations suitable for a telephone. But by placing in circuit this
mechanical make and break arrangement the interruptions of the current
are at once audible, and by regulating the movement of the spiral I can
send signals, which, if they had been prearranged, might have enabled
us to communicate intelligence to each other by means of the earth's
magnetism. I show this experiment more with a view to illustrate the
fact that for experiments on induction both instruments are necessary,
as each makes manifest those currents adapted to itself.
The lines of force of light, heat, and sound can be artificially
produced and intensified, and the more intense--they are the more we
perceive their effects on our eyes, ears, or bodies. But it is not so
with the lines of magnetic force, for it matters not how much their
power is increased--they appear in no way to affect us. Their presence
can, however, be made manifest to our eyes or ears by mechanical
appliances. I have already shown you how this can be done by means of
either a galvanometer or a telephone in circuit with a spiral wire.
I have already stated that while engaged in these experiments I found
that as far as the telephone was concerned it was immaterial whether it
was in circuit with a spiral or not, as in either case it accurately
reproduced the same sounds; therefore, much in the same way as lenses
assist the sight or tubes the hearing, so does the telephone make
manifest the lines of intermittent inductive energy. This was quite a
new phenomenon to me, and on further investigation of the subject I
found that it was not necessary to have even a telephone, for by simply
holding a piece of iron to my ear and placing it close to the center
of the spiral I could distinctly hear the same sounds as with the
telephone, although not so loud. The intensity of the sound was greatly
increased when the iron was placed in a magnetic field. Here is a small
disk of iron similar to those used in telephones, firmly secured in this
brass frame; this is a small permanent bar magnet, the marked end of
which is fixed very closely to, but not touching, the center of the iron
disk. Now, by applying the disk to my ear I can hear the same sounds
that were audible to all of you when the telephone in circuit with a
small spiral was placed in front of and close to the large spiral. To me
the sound is quite as loud as when you heard it; but now you are one and
all totally deaf to it. My original object in constructing two large
spirals was to ascertain whether the inductive lines of force given out
from one source would in any way interfere with those proceeding from
another source. By the aid of this simple iron disk and magnet it can be
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