Candle-power. The amount of light given by the standard candle. The legal English and American standard is a sperm candle burning two grains a minute.
Candle, Standard. The standard of illuminating power; a flame which consumes two grains of sperm wax per minute, and produces a light of a brightness equal to one candle-power.
Caoutchouc. India-rubber. So named because originally its chief use was to erase or rub off pencil marks. It is a substance existing, in a thick fluid state, in the sap or juices of certain tropical trees and vines; it possesses a very high value as an insulator for wire and circuits. The unworked, crude rubber is called virgin gum, but after it is kneaded it is called masticated or pure gum rubber.
Capacity. A term used when speaking of the carrying power of a wire or circuit. The capacity of a wire, rod, bar, or other conductor is sufficient so long as the current does not heat it. Directly electric heat is generated, we speak of the conductor as being overloaded or having its capacity overtaxed.
Capacity of a Telegraph Conductor. The electric capacity may be identical in quality with that of any other conductor. In quantity it varies not only in different wires, but for the same wire under different conditions. A wire reacting through the surrounding air, or other dielectric, upon the earth represents one element of a condenser, the earth in general representing the other. A wire placed near the earth has greater capacity than one strung upon high poles, although the wires may be of identical length and size and of the same metal. The effect of high capacity is to retard the transmission of current, the low capacity facilitates transmission.
Capacity, Storage. In secondary batteries, the quantity of electric current they can supply, when fully charged, without exhaustion. This capacity is measured or reckoned in ampere-hours.
Carbon. One of the elements in graphitic form used as an electric-current conductor. It is the only substance which conducts electricity, and which cannot be melted with comparative ease by increase of current. It exists in three modifications—charcoal, graphite, and the diamond. In its graphitic form it is used as an electro-current conductor, as in batteries and arc-light electrodes, and as filaments in incandescent lamps. In arc-lamp use the carbons are usually electro-plated on the outside with a film of copper which acts as a better conductor.
Carbon, Artificial. Carbon-dust, powdered coke, or gas carbon is mixed with molasses, coal-tar, syrup, or some similar carbonaceous fluid, so that the mass is plastic. It can then be moulded or pressed into shapes, and heated to full redness for several hours by artificial or electric heat. For lamp-carbons the mixture is forced through a round die by heavy pressure, and is cut into suitable lengths, then fired or baked.
After removing and cooling, the carbons are sometimes dipped again into the fluid used for cementing the original mass and re-ignited. This process is termed “nourishing.” All carbon is a resisting medium, but at high temperature the resistance is only about one-third as great; that is, the current will pass through a red-hot carbon three times better than through the cold carbon; or a current of thirty amperes will be conducted as easily through a hot carbon as ten amperes through a cold one.
Carbon-cored. A carbon for arc-lamps, the core being of softer carbon than the outer surface. It is supposed to give a steadier light, and fixes the position of the arc.