Volta and the Electric Battery
It was left for Alexander Volta to show that, in Galvani's experiment, the muscles of the frog, together with the brass hook and the iron railing, formed an electric battery. Volta showed that an electric charge can be produced merely by bringing two different metals into contact. He found that, if he placed copper and zinc in sulphuric acid, or a solution of common salt, he could, produce a continuous flow of electricity (Fig. 18).
FIG. 18–VOLTA EXPLAINING HIS ELECTRIC BATTERY TO NAPOLEON BONAPARTE
From a painting. Photo by Dubray.
In the beginning of the year 1800 Volta made the first electric battery (Fig. 19). It was made of copper and zinc disks placed alternately, with a piece of wet cloth above each pair of disks. With his column of disks he could obtain a strong shock; indeed, many shocks, one after the other. This first battery of Volta's was a form of "dry battery." Later Volta devised his "crown of cups," a form of wet battery similar to some batteries in use to-day. Each cup contained a strip of copper and a strip of zinc in dilute sulphuric acid.
FIG. 19–THE FIRST ELECTRIC BATTERY