Experimental researches in electricity

Abstract

For a long time past the author had felt a strong persuasion, derived from philosophical considerations, that among the several powers of nature which in their various forms of operation on matter produce different classes of effects, there exists an intimate relation; that they are connected by a common origin, have a reciprocal dependence on one another, and are capable, under certain conditions, of being converted the one into the other. Already have electricity and magnetism afforded evidence of this mutual convertibility; and in extending his views to a wider sphere, the author became convinced that these powers must have relations with light also. Until lately his endeavours to detect these relations were unsuccessful; but at length, on instituting a more searching interrogation of nature, he arrived at the discovery recorded in the present paper, namely, that a ray of light may be electrified and magnetized; and that lines of magnetic force may be rendered luminous. The fundamental experiment revealing this new and important fact, which establishes a link of connexion between two great departments of nature, is the following. A ray of light issuing from an Argand lamp is first polarized in the horizontal plane by reflexion from a glass mirror, and then made to pass, for a certain space, through glass composed of silicated borate of lead, on its emergence from which it is viewed through a Nichol's eye-piece, capable of revolving on a horizontal axis, so as to intercept the ray, or allow it to be transmitted, alternately, in the different phases of its revolution. The glass through which the ray passes, and which the author terms the diamagnetic , is placed between the two poles of a powerful electro-magnet, arranged in such a position as that the line of magnetic forces resulting from their combined action shall coincide with, or differ but little from the course of the ray in its passage through the glass. It was then found that if the eye-piece had been so turned as to render the ray invisible to the observer looking through the eye-piece before the electric current had been established, it becomes visible whenever, by the completion of the circuit, the magnetic force is in operation; but instantly becomes again invisible on the cessation of that force by the interruption of the circuit. Further investigation showed that the magnetic action causes the plane of polarization of the polarized ray to rotate, for the ray is again rendered visible by turning the eye-piece to a certain extent; and that the direction of the rotation impressed upon the ray, when the magnetic influence is issuing from the south pole, and proceeding in the same direction as the polarized ray, is right-handed, or similar to that of the motion of the hands of a watch, as estimated by an observer at the eye-piece. The direction in which the rotation takes place will, of course, be reversed by reversing either the course of the ray or the poles of the magnet. Hence it follows that the polarized ray is made to rotate in the same direction as the currents of positive electricity are circulating, both in the helices composing the electro-magnet, and also in the same direction as the hypothetical currents, which, according to Ampere’s theory, circulate in the substance of a steel magnet. The rotatory action was found to be always directly proportional to the intensity of the magnetic force, but not to that of the electric current; and also to be proportional to the length of that portion of the ray which receives the influence. The interposition of substances which occasion no disturbance of the magnetic forces, produces no change in these effects. Magnets consisting only of electric helices act with less power than when armed with iron, and in which magnetic action is consequently more strongly developed.