Open AccessChemical action that is stimulated by alternating currents
Author(s) -
Sidney George Brown
Publication year - 1914
Publication title -
proceedings of the royal society of london. series a, containing papers of a mathematical and physical character
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2053-9150
pISSN - 0950-1207
DOI - 10.1098/rspa.1914.0031
Subject(s) - alternating current , anode , cathode , electrolyte , current (fluid) , electrical engineering , electrolytic cell , short circuit , action (physics) , materials science , optoelectronics , chemistry , physics , electrode , voltage , engineering , electrolysis , quantum mechanics
The following experiments were carried out in the year 1905. Taking a simple voltaic cell, consisting of an anode and cathode of zinc and carbon, and an electrolyte of dilute sulphuric acid, it was found that polarisation, which takes place when the cell is joined to a local circuit of low resistance, could be diminished or completely abolished, by passing through the cell an alternating current of suitable value. Fig. 1 illustrates the arrangement of the cell, D, joined up to deliver current through the ampèremeter, B; under these conditions the cell is very quickly polarised, and the continuous current falls to a very low figure. On the other hand, if a suitable strength of alternating current of. say, 100 periods per second is sent through the cell from the leads A, the cell D will be completely depolarised and will give its full current delivery. L is a self-induction and K a capacity to prevent the alternating and continuous currents from flowing in each other's circuit, the only part of the circuit common to both being through the cell.