Thus the
argument is turned round, and the proof supposed to be given of the
incorrectness of the theory becomes a further reason in its favour.
It is possible, no doubt, to adduce a few other experiments which are
not very favourable to M. Arrhenius's point of view, but they are
isolated cases; and, on the whole, his theory has enabled many
isolated facts, till then scattered, to be co-ordinated, and has
allowed very varied phenomena to be linked together. It has also
suggested--and, moreover, still daily suggests--researches of the
highest order.
In the first place, the theory of Arrhenius explains electrolysis very
simply. The ions which, so to speak, wander about haphazard, and are
uniformly distributed throughout the liquid, steer a regular course as
soon as we dip in the trough containing the electrolyte the two
electrodes connected with the poles of the dynamo or generator of
electricity. Then the charged positive ions travel in the direction of
the electromotive force and the negative ions in the opposite
direction.
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