but having their energy exalted so as to effect several
decompositions by the use of a battery at _a_ (989.). This supposition may
be allowed, because the action in the battery will only consist of
repetitions of what would take place between _b_ and _c_, if they really
constituted but a single pair. The zinc _b_, and the oxygen _d_, by their
mutual affinity, tend to unite; but as the oxygen is already in association
with the hydrogen _e_, and has its inherent chemical or electric powers
neutralized for the time by those of the latter, the hydrogen _e_ must
leave the oxygen _d_, and advance in the direction of the arrow head, or
else the zinc _b_ cannot move in the same direction to unite to the oxygen
_d_, nor the oxygen _d_ move in the contrary direction to unite to the zinc
_b_, the relation of the _similar_ forces of _b_ and _c_, in contrary
directions, to the _opposite_ forces of _d_ being the preventive. As the
hydrogen _e_ advances, it, on coming against the platina _c, f_, which
forms a part of the circuit, communicates its electric or chemical forces
through it to the next electrolyte in the circuit, fused chloride of lead,
_g, h_, where the chlorine must move in conformity with the direction of
the oxygen at _d_, for it has to compensate the forces disturbed in its
part of the circuit by the superior influence of those between the oxygen
and zinc at _d, b_, aided as they are by those of the battery _a_; and for
a similar reason the lead must move in the direction pointed out by the
arrow head, that it may be in right relation to the first moving body of
its own class, namely, the zinc _b_. If copper intervene in the circuit
from _i_ to _k_, it acts as the platina did before; and if another
electrolyte, as the iodide of tin, occur at _l, m_, then the iodine _l_,
being an _anion_, must move in conformity with the exciting _anion_,
namely, the oxygen _d_, and the _cation_ tin _m_ move in correspondence
with the other _cations b, e_, and _h_, that the chemical forces may be in
equilibrium as to their direction and quantity throughout the circuit.
Should it so happen that the anions in their circulation can combine with
the metals at the _anodes_ of the respective electrolytes, as would be the
case at the platina _f_ and the copper _k_, then those bodies becoming
parts of electrolytes, under the influence of the current, immediately
travel; but considering their relation to the zinc _b_, it is evidently
impossible th