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"Thomson's absolute electrometer is an adaptation of the attracted disc principle for absolute determinations. We give merely an indication of its different parts, referring to Thomson a paper for details." — Encyclopedia Britannica, 1893

Absolute Electrometer

"Thomson's absolute electrometer is an adaptation of the attracted disc principle for absolute determinations.…

A meter used to test batteries.

Ammeter

A meter used to test batteries.

"Hot-wire instruments working on the sag principle can be used in any position if properly contructed, and are very portable." —Encyclopedia Britannica, 1910

Hot-wire Ammeter

"Hot-wire instruments working on the sag principle can be used in any position if properly contructed,…

"A much better form of electromagnetic ammeter can be constructed on a principle now extensively employed, which consists in pivoting in the strong field of a permanent magnet a small coil through which a part of the current to be measured is sent." —Encyclopedia Britannica, 1910

Shunted Movable Coil Ammeter

"A much better form of electromagnetic ammeter can be constructed on a principle now extensively employed,…

"When a current is passed through the instrument it causes one end of the movable system to tilt downwards, and the other end upwards; the sliding weight is then moved along the tray by means of a silk cord until equilibrium is again established." —Encyclopedia Britannica, 1910

Lord Kelvin's Ampere Balance

"When a current is passed through the instrument it causes one end of the movable system to tilt downwards,…

"An instrument for measuring the strength of an electric current in amperes."-Whitney, 1902

Ampere-meter

"An instrument for measuring the strength of an electric current in amperes."-Whitney, 1902

"In all the arc lamps in common use, the coil, by means of which the automatic maintenance of the arc is kept up, is placed as a shunt across the its poles."—Finley, 1917

Arc lamp

"In all the arc lamps in common use, the coil, by means of which the automatic maintenance of the arc…

"The arc lamp is essentially a device for automatically separating the carbons when the current is turned on, for 'feeding' the carbons together as they are burned away at their tips, and, in some cases, for short-circuiting the lamp in case of irregularity or accident." -Avery 1895

Arc Lamp

"The arc lamp is essentially a device for automatically separating the carbons when the current is turned…

Arc lighting, which used two carbon rods conducting electricity to produce light. -Atkinson 1903

Carbon Arc Lighting

Arc lighting, which used two carbon rods conducting electricity to produce light. -Atkinson 1903

"The drum armature differs from the shuttle armature chiefly in that it employs many coils instead of one. The cylindrical iron core is made of thin disks of soft iron in insulated from each other, thus minimizing the 'local currents' and the heating effects thereof." — Avery, 1895

Drum armature

"The drum armature differs from the shuttle armature chiefly in that it employs many coils instead of…

"Gramme ring armature with six coils." — Hawkins, 1917

Gramme ring armature

"Gramme ring armature with six coils." — Hawkins, 1917

"Consists of a coil of wire wound in two broad grooves plowed on opposite sides of an iron cylinder." — Avery, 1895

Siemens armature

"Consists of a coil of wire wound in two broad grooves plowed on opposite sides of an iron cylinder."…

"Represents in diagram the arrangement of the battery, resistance, and galvanometer. There are two keys, K and K, , placed in the circuit whose uses will be subsequently explained for the present, the diagram will be considered as if these keys did not exist, and as if the current flowed permanently through. the circuits as is indicated by the arrow-heads." (Britannica, 1891)

Arrangement of Battery, Resistance, and Galvanometer

"Represents in diagram the arrangement of the battery, resistance, and galvanometer. There are two keys,…

"The coil is of flat, rectangular shape, with a narrow central opening just large enough to allow one of the magnets of the astatic system to swing freely. The other magnet swings over a graduated circle placed on the top of the coil, and serves also as an index. Sometimes a mirror and scale are substituted for the index and graduated circle. The sole on which the coil stands is movable on a fixed piece which can be levelled by means of three screws." &mdash Encyclopedia Britannica, 1893

Astatic Multiplier

"The coil is of flat, rectangular shape, with a narrow central opening just large enough to allow one…

Auroras are caused by the passage of electricity through the rare air of the upper regions.

Aurora Borealis

Auroras are caused by the passage of electricity through the rare air of the upper regions.

"A current is caused to pass from the mercury through C along the radius of the disc A through the field of magnetic force due to the horse-shoe magnet NO. The result is that the wheel rotates in the direction indicated by the arrow." — Encyclopedia Britannica, 1893

Barlow Apparatus

"A current is caused to pass from the mercury through C along the radius of the disc A through the field…

An illustration of Mance's method used to measure battery resistance.

Battery Resistance

An illustration of Mance's method used to measure battery resistance.

An illustration of Mance's method used to measure battery resistance.

Battery Resistance

An illustration of Mance's method used to measure battery resistance.

An illustration of the assisting and opposing method used to measure battery resistance.

Battery Resistance

An illustration of the assisting and opposing method used to measure battery resistance.

"Galvanism is the branch of electric science to which an experiment by Galvani gave birth. His wife, who was making soup from frogs, put them in proximity to a charged electrical machine. On touching them with a scalpel their legs became greatly convulsed. He came to the erroneous conclusion that animal electricity existed in the nerves and muscles of frogs, etc. His contemporary Volta inferred that the metals took the active part in producing the contraction, and the electricity was due to their contact. In 1800 he first described and constructed what has since been called the Voltaic pile."—(Charles Leonard-Stuart, 1911)

Galvanic Battery

"Galvanism is the branch of electric science to which an experiment by Galvani gave birth. His wife,…

"A type of battery used to produce electricity.." -Comstock 1850

Galvanic Battery

"A type of battery used to produce electricity.." -Comstock 1850

A simple battery or cell used to generate electricity by chemical action.

Simple Battery

A simple battery or cell used to generate electricity by chemical action.

A rechargeable battery also known as a storage battery is a group of one or more secondary cells. Rechargeable batteries use electrochemical reactions that are electrically reversible. Rechargeable batteries can offer economic and environmental benefits compared to disposable batteries.

Storage Battery

A rechargeable battery also known as a storage battery is a group of one or more secondary cells. Rechargeable…

An illustration of Clamond's thermal battery; a thermal battery refers to the the electrolyte being solid and inactive at a normal ambient temperature and liquid and active at high temperatures.

Thermal Battery

An illustration of Clamond's thermal battery; a thermal battery refers to the the electrolyte being…

An illustration of a thermoelectric battery.

Thermoelectric Battery

An illustration of a thermoelectric battery.

The trough battery was a variant of the Voltaic Pile and was invented by William Cruickshank c1800. Volta's battery consisted of brine-soaked pieces of cloth sandwiched between zinc and copper discs, piled stack; this resulted in electrolyte leakage as the weight of the discs squeezed the electrolyte out of the cloth. Cruickshank solved this problem by laying the battery on its side in a rectangular box. The inside of this box was lined with shellac for insulation, and pairs of welded-together zinc and copper were laid out in this box, evenly spaced. The spaces between the plates (the troughs) were filled with dilute sulfuric acid. So long as the box wasn't knocked about, there was no risk of electrolyte spillage.

Trough Battery

The trough battery was a variant of the Voltaic Pile and was invented by William Cruickshank c1800.…

In Wollaston's battery, the wooden box was replaced with an earthenware vessel, and a copper plate was bent into a U-shape, with a single plate of zinc placed in the center of the bent copper. The zinc plate was prevented from making contact with the copper by dowels (pieces) of cork or wood. In his single cell design, the U-shaped copper plate was welded to a horizontal handle for lifting the copper and zinc plates out out the electrolyte when the battery was not in use.

Wallaston's Battery

In Wollaston's battery, the wooden box was replaced with an earthenware vessel, and a copper plate was…

In Wollaston's battery, the wooden box was replaced with an earthenware vessel, and a copper plate was bent into a U-shape, with a single plate of zinc placed in the center of the bent copper. The zinc plate was prevented from making contact with the copper by dowels (pieces) of cork or wood. In his single cell design, the U-shaped copper plate was welded to a horizontal handle for lifting the copper and zinc plates out out the electrolyte when the battery was not in use.

Wallaston's Battery

In Wollaston's battery, the wooden box was replaced with an earthenware vessel, and a copper plate was…

An illustration of an electric bell. "The magnetizing coils are a a, and they are connected with their terminals at binding posts b1, b2. When these binding posts are connected with the electric current and the circuit is closed, the armature, at d, will be attracted, and will push the hammer e upon the bell. When the armature is attracted, the spring f leaves the screw contact g, against which it rests." -Foster, 1921

Electric Bell

An illustration of an electric bell. "The magnetizing coils are a a, and they are connected with their…

"The gold leaves are gummed on the two sides of a flat piece of metal carried by a stout stem, which passes through the top of a glass shade and ends in a flat disc. By means of this disc we may convert the instrument into Volta's condensing electroscope." — Encyclopedia Britannica, 1893

Bennets Electroscope

"The gold leaves are gummed on the two sides of a flat piece of metal carried by a stout stem, which…

An illustration of the bottle bichromate.

Bottle Bichromate

An illustration of the bottle bichromate.

The cell was set up in a glass, or glazed earthenware, pot. This contained the chromic acid solution, the carbon plate and a porous pot. Inside the porous pot was dilute sulfuric acid, the zinc rod, and a small quantity of mercury. The mercury formed an amalgam with the zinc and this reduced "local action", i.e. unwanted dissolution of the zinc when the cell was not in use.

Fuller Bichromate

The cell was set up in a glass, or glazed earthenware, pot. This contained the chromic acid solution,…

An illustration of the Trouve bichromate.

Trouve Bichromate

An illustration of the Trouve bichromate.

A circuit breaker is an automatically-operated electrical switch designed to protect an electrical circuit from damage caused by overload or short circuit.

Circuit Breaker

A circuit breaker is an automatically-operated electrical switch designed to protect an electrical circuit…

"Charles F. Brush was an inventor, specifically in the field of electricity."—E. Benjamin Andrews 1895

Charles F. Brush

"Charles F. Brush was an inventor, specifically in the field of electricity."—E. Benjamin Andrews…

"The electric generator makes electricity to be used for starting the engine and lighting the car." -Bodmer, 1917

Building an Automobile, Step 09: Electric Generator

"The electric generator makes electricity to be used for starting the engine and lighting the car."…

"The magneto gives an electric spark, which explodes the gasoline in the cylinders. The water pump keeps water flowing around the cylinders to prevent them from getting too hot. This water comes back to the pump through the radiator at the front of the car. Wind blows through the radiator and cools off the water. The tire pump on up-to-date cars is run by the engine. It does not pump except when the gears, which are shown in the picture, are pulled together." -Bodmer, 1917

Building an Automobile, Step 10: Magneto

"The magneto gives an electric spark, which explodes the gasoline in the cylinders. The water pump keeps…

An illustration of the connections for a capacity test on a battery.

Connections for Capacity Test

An illustration of the connections for a capacity test on a battery.

This illustration shows rays attracted to a magnet, and exerting force upon the object against which they are striking.

Cathode

This illustration shows rays attracted to a magnet, and exerting force upon the object against which…

"Cavallo's electroscope embodies the double pendulum principle. It consists of two fine silver wires loaded with small pieces of cork or pith, and suspended inside a small glass cylinder. Through the cap which closes the cylinder passes the stout wire from which the pendulums are suspended. This wire ends in a thimble-shaped dome A, which comes down very nearly to the cap; the outside of the cap is part of the wire and covered with sealing wax, and the object of the dome is to keep moisture from the stem, so that the electroscope could be used in the open air even in rainy weather." — Encyclopedia Britannica, 1893

Cavallos Electroscope

"Cavallo's electroscope embodies the double pendulum principle. It consists of two fine silver wires…

An illustration of Bussen's cell.

Bussen's Cell

An illustration of Bussen's cell.

In semiconductor design, standard cell methodology is a method of designing Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs) with mostly digital-logic features.

Clark's Standard Cell

In semiconductor design, standard cell methodology is a method of designing Application Specific Integrated…

"Simple Daniell cell for closed circuit work." — Hawkins, 1917

Daniell cell

"Simple Daniell cell for closed circuit work." — Hawkins, 1917

The Daniell cell (var. sp. Daniel cell), also called the gravity cell or crowfoot cell was invented in 1836 by John Frederic Daniell, who was a British chemist and meteorologist. The Daniell cell was a great improvement over the voltaic pile used in the early days of battery development. The Daniell cell's theoretical voltage is 1.1 volts and the chemical reaction is Zn(s) + Cu2+(aq) → Zn2+(aq) + Cu(s).

Daniell Cell

The Daniell cell (var. sp. Daniel cell), also called the gravity cell or crowfoot cell was invented…

In semiconductor design, standard cell methodology is a method of designing Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs) with mostly digital-logic features.

Fleming's Standard Cell

In semiconductor design, standard cell methodology is a method of designing Application Specific Integrated…

An illustration of Bussen's cell.The Grove cell was an early electric primary cell named after its inventor, British chemist William Robert Grove, and consisted of a zinc anode in concentrated sulfuric acid and a platinum cathode in concentrated nitric acid, the two separated by a porous ceramic pot. The Grove cell was the favored power source of the early American telegraph system in the period 1840 - 1860 because it offered a high current output and higher voltage than the earlier Daniell cell (at 1.9 volts and 1.1 volts, respectively).

Grove Cell

An illustration of Bussen's cell.The Grove cell was an early electric primary cell named after its inventor,…

An illustration of the Minotto cell.

Minotto Cell

An illustration of the Minotto cell.

An illustration of the Smee cell.

Smee Cell

An illustration of the Smee cell.

A voltaic cell.

Voltaic cell

A voltaic cell.

"Just as a head of water supplies a hydraulic pressure that causes the liquid to flow through a pipe in spite of friction, so there is an electrical pressure that forces a current through a conductor in spite of its resistance. The unit of electrical pressure is called the volt." — Avery, 1895

Voltaic cell

"Just as a head of water supplies a hydraulic pressure that causes the liquid to flow through a pipe…

A rod with a slender wire coiled loosely around it.

Coil around rod

A rod with a slender wire coiled loosely around it.

"If the connections of the armature coils are reversed at the moment when the current in the coils is reversed, the induced currents will all flow in the same direction in the external circuit. There are many different ways of connecting armature coils with their commutators. The numbered loops represent the armature coils joined in series as in the ring armature." — Avery, 1895

Commutator

"If the connections of the armature coils are reversed at the moment when the current in the coils is…

"Condensers of a the flat type, consisting of tin-foil conductors separated by thin, flat dielectric sheets, usually of micca, are much used. To obtain large area, and hence great capacity, they are arranged alternately in two series. A condenser of this type has a capacity of one microfarad, weighs 6 or 7 pounds." — Avery, 1895

Condenser

"Condensers of a the flat type, consisting of tin-foil conductors separated by thin, flat dielectric…

"Construction of condenser for an induction coil." — Hawkins, 1917

Condenser

"Construction of condenser for an induction coil." — Hawkins, 1917

"Side view of built up armature core. The sheet metal ring sections containing the teeth are fastened into dovetail notches in the spider as shown." — Hawkins, 1917

Armature core

"Side view of built up armature core. The sheet metal ring sections containing the teeth are fastened…

"Take the zinc from the tumbler of acid and, while it is yet wet, rub thereon a few drops of mercury...replace the zinc in the acid, and notice that no bubbles are given off. Place a copper strip in the solution...bring the strips together at their upper ends as shown. Connect the metals and observe the result." -Avery 1895

Current Electricity

"Take the zinc from the tumbler of acid and, while it is yet wet, rub thereon a few drops of mercury...replace…

The first two-fluid cell was incented by Daniell, and English electrician in 1836..." -Atkinson 1903

Daniel Cell

The first two-fluid cell was incented by Daniell, and English electrician in 1836..." -Atkinson 1903

"D is a needle, formed of light silver wire, suspended by a fine glass fiber, from a torsion head A. Below the needle is a piece of sheet metal NE, divided half through by a notch in the middle, and then bent in opposite directions on both sides of the notch, so that, when looked at end on, it appears like a Y." — Encyclopedia Britannica, 1893

Dellman's Electrometer

"D is a needle, formed of light silver wire, suspended by a fine glass fiber, from a torsion head A.…

"C is an insulated disc, over which is suspended another disc, hung from the arm of a balance, and connected with the earth. A weight w is put in a scale attached to the other arm of the balance. The insulated disc is connected with the internal armature B of a Leyden jar, whose outer armature is in connection with the suspended disc, Electricity is conveyed to B, and the quantity q measured by a small Lane's jar A, until the electric attraction at C is just sfficient to turn the balance." — Encyclopedia Britannica, 1893

Disc Electrometer

"C is an insulated disc, over which is suspended another disc, hung from the arm of a balance, and connected…

"In order to make the winding and connections clear, one coil and the commutator is shown assembled, although the latter is not put in place until after all the sections have been wound, the ends of the wires being temporarily twisted together until all can be soldered to the risers." — Hawkins, 1917

Siemens' drum winding

"In order to make the winding and connections clear, one coil and the commutator is shown assembled,…