Experiments and observations on a new apparatus, called, a machine for exhibiting perpetual electricity : in a letter to the Rev. Dr. Horsley / from William Henley. Read at the Royal society, May 16, 1776.

  • Henley, William, -1779.
Date:
1776
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Experiments and observations on a new apparatus, called, a machine for exhibiting perpetual electricity : in a letter to the Rev. Dr. Horsley / from William Henley. Read at the Royal society, May 16, 1776. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    manner as to let the balls hang about the eightn part of , an inch higher than the plate of brafs on which the ex- . cited plate of wax was laid, I electrified the balls of a pofitively, and the balls of b negatively, fo as to diverge about an inch; I then brought the irifulated apparatus as near as I could to the balls, without affecting either, (the brafs plate might then be at nearly an inch and an half diflance from the neareft ball, both of a and b) ; - then, fudderily removing the excited wax, the balls of B inftantly new to'the brafs plate, and thole of a were, at the fame infant, repelled to as great a-diftance from It. The apparatus having remained in this fituation fome fxonds, on withdrawing the hand with the brafs plate, &c. the bails of b doled, having received by this procefs the quantity of electricity they had before been deprived of ; but-the balls of a ftill remained feparate, as widens ever. Experiment 5. Having replaced the excited wax, Bee. upon the brafs plate, I again electrified the balls of A and b, as in the former experiment, viz. thofe of a poll-* lively, and thofe of b negatively. I then took a fmall phial, properly prepared for the Leyden experiment, containing only about three fquareinches of coated fur- face; then, prefenting the knob, on the wire of the phial, to the plate of brafs, I removed the wax, &c. and valiantly faw a ifrong fpark between the brafs plate and the knob of the phial : when, prefenting that knob towards the balls of a, they were confiderably repelled; but on prefenting it toward thofe of b, they were as much attracted. I have made feveral other experiments with this apparatus; but, as they all agree with, thofe above