Excerpt from Quantitative Analysis by Electrolysis: Revised English Translation of the Fifth German Edition It is necessary, therefore, to find out, on the basis of the theory of electricity, what happens when an electric current is passed through any given solution. If the wires from the positive and negative poles of a suitable source of current are each connected with separate pieces of plati num foil and the two pieces of foil are suspended a slight distance apart in a sugar solution or in chloroform, it will be found, by plac ing a galvanoscope or ammeter in the circuit between one of the poles and the wire that leads to the liquid, that only a very weak electric current is flowing. If, however, the pieces of platinum foil, called the electrodes, are suspended in dilute sulphuric acid, in dilute caustic soda, or in a solution of sodium chloride, the instrument Will then Show the passage of a stronger electric current. The solutions of these substances conduct electricity. On the basis of their behavior toward the current, all soluble substances (and with these only shall we concern ourselves) can be divided into those which are good conductors and those which are not. Those substances which, in aqueous solution, conduct electricity are called electrolytes; to this class belong most acids, most bases, and nearly all salts, whether organic or inorganic in nature, and it is With these that electro-analysis is concerned. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.