Capacity, Electric, or Electrostatic.

The relative capacity of a conductor or system to retain a charge of electricity with the production of a given difference of potential. The greater the charge for a given change of potential, or the less the change of potential for a given charge the greater the capacity. The measure of its capacity is the amount of electricity required to raise the potential to a stated amount. The unit of capacity is the farad, q.

v. Electric capacity is comparable to the capacity of a bottle for air.

A given amount of air will raise the pressure more or less, and the amount required to raise its pressure a stated amount might be taken as the measure of capacity, and would be strictly comparable to electrostatic charge and potential change. The capacity, K, is obviously proportional to the quant.i.ty, Q, of the charge at a given potential, E, and inversely proportional to the potential, E, for a given quant.i.ty, Q, or, (1) K == Q/E and (2) Q = K * E, or, the quant.i.ty required to raise a conductor by a given potential is equal to the capacity of the conductor or system multiplied by the rise of potential. The capacity of a conductor depends upon its environments, such as the nature of the dielectric surrounding it, the proximity of oppositely charged bodies and other similar factors. (See Dielectric-Condenser-Leyden jar.)

The dimensions of capacity are found by dividing a quant.i.ty of electricity by the potential produced in the conductor by such quant.i.ty.

Quant.i.ty ( ((M^.5)*(L^1.5)) / T ) / potential ( ((M^.5)*(L^.5)) / T ) = L.

Capacity, Instantaneous.

The capacity of a condenser when connected only for an instant to a source of electricity. This is in contrast to electric absorption (see Absorption, Electric), and is capacity without such absorption taking part in the action.

103 STANDARD ELECTRICAL DICTIONARY.

Capacity of a Telegraph Conductor.

The electric capacity of a telegraphic conductor is identical in quality with that of any other conductor. It varies in quant.i.ty, not only for different wires, but for the same wire under different environments, as the 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. Hence, a wire placed near the earth has greater capacity than one strung upon high poles, although the wires may be identical in length, material and diameter. The effect of high capacity is to r.e.t.a.r.d the transmission of intermitting signals. Thus, when--as in the Morse system--a key is depressed, closing a long telegraph current and sending a signal into a line, it is at least very probable that a portion of the electricity travels to the end of the wire with the velocity of light. But as the wire has to be charged, enough current to move the relay may not reach the end for some seconds.

Capacity of Polarization of a Voltaic Cell.

The relative resistance to polarization of a voltaic cell, measured by the quant.i.ty of electricity it can supply before polarization. A counter-electromotive force may be developed, or the acid or other solution may become exhausted. The quant.i.ty of electricity delivered before this happens depends on the size and type of cell and other factors.

Capacity, Residual.

When two insulated conductors are separated by a dielectric, and are discharged disruptively by being connected or nearly connected electrically, on removing the discharger it is found that a slight charge is present after a short interval. This is the residual charge.

(See Charge, Residual.) Shaking or jarring the dielectric facilitates the complete discharge. This retaining of a charge is a phenomenon of the dielectric, and as such, is termed residual capacity. It varies greatly in different substances. In quartz it is one-ninth what it is in air. Iceland spar (crystalline calcite) seems to have no residual capacity. The action of shaking and jarring in facilitating a discharge indicates a mechanical stress into which the electrostatic polarization of the conductor has thrown the intervening dielectric.

Capacity, Specific Inductive.

The ratio of the capacity of a condenser when its plates are separated by any substance to the capacity of the same condenser when its plates are separated by air.

A static acc.u.mulator consists of two conducting surfaces separated by an insulator. It is found that the capacity of an acc.u.mulator for an electric charge, which varies with or may be rated by the potential difference to which its conductors will be brought by the given charge, varies with the nature of the interposed dielectric, and is proportional to a constant special to each substance. This constant is the specific inductive capacity of the dielectric.

The same condenser will have a higher capacity as the dielectric is thinner, other things being equal. But different dielectrics having different specific inductive capacities, the constant may be determined by ascertaining the relative thicknesses of layers having the same total inductive capacity. The thicker the layer, the higher is its specific inductive capacity.

Thus it is found that 3.2 units thickness of sulphur have the same total inductive capacity as 1 unit thickness of air. In other words, if sulphur is interposed between two conducting plates, they may be separated to over three times the distance that would be requisite to retain the same capacity in air. Hence, sulphur is the better dielectric, and air being taken as unity, the specific inductive capacity of sulphur is 3.2.

104 STANDARD ELECTRICAL DICTIONARY.

The specific inductive capacity of a dielectric varies with the time and temperature. That of gla.s.s rises 2.5 per cent. between 12? C. (53.6? F.) and 83? C. (181.4? F.). If a condenser is discharged disruptively, it retains a small residual charge which it can part with later. If a metallic connection is made between the plates, the discharge is not instantaneous. Vibration shaking and jarring facilitate the complete discharge. All this shows that the charge is a phase of the dielectric itself, and indicates a strained state into which it is brought.

The following table gives the specific inductive capacity of various substances:

Specific Inductive Capacity.

Substance Specific Inductive Authority Capacity.

Vacuum, air at about 0.001 millimeters pressure 0.94 about Ayrton Vacuum, air at about 5 millimeters 0.9985 Ayrton 0.99941 Boltzmann Hydrogen at about 760 millimeters pressure 0.9997 Boltzmann 0.9998 Ayrton Air at about 760 millimeters pressure 1.0 Taken as the standard Carbon Dioxide at about 760 millimeters pressure 1.000356 Boltzmann 1.0008 Ayrton Olefiant Gas at about 760 millimeters pressure 1.000722 Boltzmann Sulphur Dioxide at about 760 millimeters pressure 1.0037 Ayrton Paraffin Wax, Clear 1.92 Schiller 1.96 W?llner 1.977 Gibson and Barclay 2.32 Boltzmann Paraffin Wax, Milky 2.47 Schiller India Rubber, Pure 2.34 Schiller India Rubber, Vulcanized 2.94 Schiller Resin 2.55 Boltzmann Ebonite 2.56 W?llner 2.76 Schiller 3.15 Boltzmann Sulphur 2.88 to 3.21 W?llner 3.84 Boltzmann Sh.e.l.lac 2.95 to 3.73 W?llner Gutta percha 4.2 Mica 5 Flint Gla.s.s, Very light 6.57 J. Hopkinson Flint Gla.s.s, Light 6.85 J. Hopkinson Flint Gla.s.s, Dense 7.4 J. Hopkinson Flint Gla.s.s, Double extra dense 10.1 J. Hopkinson

105 STANDARD ELECTRICAL DICTIONARY.

Capacity, Unit of.

The unit of capacity is the capacity of a surface which a unit quant.i.ty will raise to a unit potential. The practical unit is the surface which a coulomb will raise to one volt, and is called the farad, q. v.

Capacity, Storage.

In secondary batteries the quant.i.ty of electrical current which they can supply when charged, without undue exhaustion. It is expressed in ampere-hours. The potential varies so little during the discharge that it is a.s.sumed to be constant.

Capillarity.

The reaction between liquid surfaces of different kinds or between liquid and solid surfaces due to surface tension. Its phenomena are greatly modified by electric charging, which alters the surface tension.

Capillarity is the cause of solutions "creeping," as it is termed. Thus in gravity batteries a crust of zinc sulphate often formed over the edge of the jar due to the solution creeping and evaporating. As a liquid withdraws from a surface which it does not wet, creeping as above is prevented by coating the edge with paraffin wax, something which water does not moisten. It also causes the liquids of a battery cell to reach the connections and injure them by oxidation. The solutions creep up in the pores of the carbons of a battery and oxidize the clamps. To give good connections a disc of platinum or of lead is used for the contact as not being attacked. Another way is to dip the upper ends of the dry and warm carbons into melted paraffin wax, or to apply the wax to the hot carbons at the top, and melt it in with a hot iron.

106 STANDARD ELECTRICAL DICTIONARY.

Carbon.

(a) One of the elements; atomic weight, 12. It exists in three allotropic modifications, charcoal, graphite and diamond. In the graphitic form it is used as an electric current conductor, as in batteries and for arc lamp, electrodes and incandescent lamp filaments.

It is the only substance which conducts electricity and which cannot be melted with comparative ease by increase of current. (See Resistance.)

(b) The carbon plate of a battery or rod of an arc lamp. To secure greater conductivity in lamp carbons, they are sometimes plated with nickel or with copper.

(c) v. To place carbons in arc lamps. This has generally to be done once in twenty-four hours, unless the period of burning is very short.

Carbon, Artificial.

For lamps, carbons and battery plates carbons are made by igniting, while protected from the action of the air, a mixture of carbon dust and a cementing and carbonizable substance. Lamp black may be added also.

Powdered c.o.ke or gas carbon is mixed with mola.s.ses, coal tar, syrup, or some similar carbonaceous liquid. It is moulded into shape. For lamp carbons the mixture is forced from a vessel through a round aperture or die, by heavy pressure, and is cut into suitable lengths. For battery plates it may be simply pressed into moulds. The carbons are ignited in covered vessels and also covered with charcoal dust, lamp black or its equivalent. They are heated to full redness for some hours. After removal and cooling they are sometimes dipped again into the liquid used for cementing and reignited. Great care in securing pure carbon is sometimes necessary, especially for lamps. Fine bituminous coal is sometimes used, originally by Robert Bunsen, in 1838 or 1840; purification by different processes has since been applied; carbon from destructive distillation of coal tar has been used. The famous Carr?

carbons are made, it is said, from 15 parts very pure c.o.ke dust, five parts calcined lamp-black, and seven or eight parts sugar--syrup mixed with a little gum. Five hours heating, with subsequent treatment with boiling caramel and reignition are applied. The latter treatment is termed "nourishing." Napoli used three parts of c.o.ke to one of tar.

Sometimes a core of different carbon than the surrounding tube is employed.

107 STANDARD ELECTRICAL DICTIONARY.

The following are the resistances of Carr?'s carbons per meter (39.37 inches):

Diameter in Diameter in Resistance in Ohms.

Millimeters. Inches. @ 20? C. (98? F.) 1 .039 50.000 2 .078 12.5 3 .117 5.55 4 .156 3.125 5 .195 2.000 6 .234 1.390 8 .312 .781 10 .390 .5 12 .468 .348 15 .585 .222 18 .702 .154 20 .780 .125

At high temperatures the resistance is about one-third these amounts. A layer of copper may increase the conductivity one hundred times and prolong the duration 14 per cent. Thus a layer of copper 1/695 millimeter (1/17300 inch) thick increases the conductivity 4.5 times; a coating 1/60 millimeter (1/1500 inch) thick increases the conductivity one hundred and eleven times.

Carbon, Cored.