kept apart, the one will be charged with positive, and the other with negative, electricity.
169. But further, when such a voltaic battery is in action, we have a transmutation of chemical separation into electricity in motion. To see this, let us consider what takes place in such a battery.
Here no doubt the sources of electrical excitement are the points of contact of the zinc and platinum, where, as we see by our last article, we have electrical separation produced. But this of itself would not produce a current, for an electrical current implies very considerable energy, and must be fed by something. Now, in the voltaic battery we have two things which accompany each other, and which are manifestly connected together. In the first place we have the combustion, or at least the oxidation and dissolution, of the zinc; and we have, secondly, the production of a powerful current. Now, evidently, the first of these is that which feeds the second, or, in other words, the energy of chemical separation of the metallic zinc is transmuted into that of an electrical current, the zinc being virtually burned in the process of transmutation.
170. Finally, as far as we are aware, the energy of chemical separation is not directly transmuted into radiant light and heat.
