This is also known as Sir William Thomson’s Water-Gravity Electric
Machine. It is an apparatus for converting the potential energy of
falling water drops, due to gravity, into electric energy. Referring to
the illustration, G represents a bifurcated water pipe whose two faucets
are adjusted to permit a series of drops to fall from each. C and F are
two metallic tubes connected by a conductor; E and D are the same. Two
Leyden jars, A and B, have their inner coatings represented by strong
sulphuric acid, connected each to its own pair of cylinders, B to D and
E, and A to F and C. The outer coatings are connected to earth, as is
also the water supply. One of the jars, say A, is charged interiorily
with positive electricity. This charge, C and F, share with it, being in
electric contact therewith. Just before the drops break off from the jet
leading into C, they are inductively charged with negative electricity,
the positive going to earth. Thus a series of negatively excited drops
fall into the metal tube D, with its interior funnel or drop arrester,
charging it, the Leyden jar B, and the tube E with negative electricity.
This excitation causes the other stream of drops to work in the converse
way, raising the positive potential of F and C and A, thus causing the
left-hand drops to acquire a higher potential. This again raises the
potential of the right-hand drops, so that a constant accumulating
action is kept up. The outer coatings of the Leyden jars are connected
to earth to make it possible to raise the potential of their inner
coatings. In each case the drops are drawn by gravity into contact with
objects similarly excited in opposition to the electric repulsion. This
overcoming of the electric repulsion is the work done by gravity, and
which results in the development of electric energy.

Two conducting surfaces oppositely placed, and separated by a
dielectric and arranged for the opposite charging of the two surfaces,
constitute an accumulator, sometimes termed a condenser. As this
arrangement introduces the element of a bound and of a binding charge,
the electrostatic capacity of such is greater than that of either or of
both of its component surfaces. The thinner the dielectric which
separates the conducting surfaces, and the larger the surfaces the
greater is the capacity; or the less will be the potential difference
which a given charge will establish between its two coatings. The nature
of the dielectric also determines its capacity. (See Capacity, Specific
Inductive.)

Fig. 2. SIR WILLIAM THOMSON'S WATER-DROPPING ACCUMULATOR.

(a) A term sometimes applied to the secondary or storage battery. (See
Battery, Secondary.)
(b) See Accumulator, Electrostatic
(c) See Accumulator, Water Dropping.
(d) See Wheel, Barlow’s

The rate of change of velocity. If of increase of velocity it is
positive; if of decrease, it is negative. It can only be brought about
by the exercise of force and is used as the measure of or as determining
the unit of force. It is equal to velocity (L/T) imparted, divided by
time (T); its dimensions therefore are L/(T^2). The c. g. s. unit of
acceleration is one centimeter in one second.

[Transcriber's note: The unit of acceleration is "centimeters per second
per second."]

Symbol of or abbreviation for “anodic closure contraction” q. v.

A property of the static charge. When a Leyden jar is being charged it
dilates a little and the capacity increases, so that it can take a
little more charge for a given potential difference existing between its
two coatings. This phenomenon occurs with other static condensers,
varying in degree with the dielectric. With shellac, paraffin, sulphur
and resin, for instance, the absorption is very slight; with
gutta-percha, stearine, and glass, the absorption is relatively great.
The term is due to Faraday. Iceland spar seems almost or quite destitute
of electric absorption.

Temperature reckoned from absolute zero (see “Zero, Absolute”).

It is obtained by adding for the centigrade scale 273, and for the Fahrenheit scale 459, to the degree readings of the regular scale.

Measurement based upon the centimeter, gram, and second. (See Centimeter-Gram-Second System.)

In quantities it may be defined as referring to fixed units of quantity, and it is opposed to “relative,” which merely refers to the relation of several things to each other. Thus the relative resistance of one wire may be n times that of another; its absolute resistance might be 5 ohms,
when the absolute resistance of the second wire would be 5/n ohms.

A galvanometer gives absolute readings if it is graduated to read directly amperes or volts; if not so graduated, it may by “calibration”
q. v. be made to do practically the same thing.

Abbreviation for anode, employed in text relating to
electro-therapeutics. It is sometimes written An.