Some of Tesla's Experiments Simplified - To F. E. P.

Editor's note: This article contains commentary on the original article: Some of Tesla's Experiments Simplified - Commentary 2

[33991.] — The effects narrated are well known, and are simply proofs of the extent to which the lines of inductive force penetrate the surrounding air.

With reference to the coils connected in series, this also has been done. Of course, the second coil, as it is supplied with an alternating current from the first one, does not need, and, in point of fact, must not have, a contact breaker. Also it is necessary, in order to get good effects, that the primary of the second coil should consist of wire as fine as that of the secondary of the first coil, and that the insulation should be of the most perfect kind. In some experiments detailed a month or so ago in the pages of "Ours," the coil was immersed bodily in resin oil. This second coil is in reality a transformer, and what is gained in E.M.F. is lost in current.

S. Bottone

[33992.] — More than a year ago I made, quite by chance, exactly the same experiment as "F.E.P." relates in letter 33984, with the exception that my lamp was quite sound. I was trying to light a lamp with an induction coil, and, not succeeding, probably because there were not enough ampères, I took off one of the wires from the lamp terminal, when suddenly, on my accidentally touching with the wire the spring of the lamp's socket, the lamp lit up a phosphorescent bluish glow, a little darker near the filament. The same thing occurred in touching the glass bulb with even the isolated portion of the wire from the induction coil; but the greatest brilliancy was obtained when the electrode was terminated by a large metallic surface. I repeated the experiment the next day, but have not been able to repeat it again.

One day, however, my lamp — always perfectly sound — was lying close to one of the electrodes of the induction coil, when on completing the secondary circuit the lamp gave a bluish glow as before, but this time of equal intensity in every part. I never could repeat the experiment. The lamp is a 10-candle one, and the coil gives a 3-millimètre spark.

L. Demengel