Condenser, ELECTRIC

Device suggested by Volta for increasing the capacity of an electrical conductor without increasing its potential. It consists, in its simplest form, of two thin conducting disks separated by a thin layer of some non Electric Condenser. conductor; e.g. , a gla plate. One of the disks, called the "collecting plate," is connected with the prime conductor of an electrical machine, while the other, known as the "con densing plate," is connected by a chain or wire to the earth. A positive charge on the collecting plate will induce a negative charge on the opposite side of the dielectric, which in turn will react upon the collecting plate, attracting the electricity to the surface of the dielectric; thus the plate is enabled to draw more positive electricity from the machine. The "condensing power" is the ratio in which the capacity of the collecting plate has been increased by the pre ure of the condensing plate. Condensers of larger capacity are often made of sheets of tin foil separated by plates of mica or layers of paraffin; in this case the alternate sheets of foil are joined at their edges and form the collecting plate, while the rest are joined together for the condensing plate.