Voltaic pile

Voltaic Vol*ta"ic, a. [Cf. F. volta["i]que, It. voltaico.] [1913 Webster] 1. Of or pertaining to Alessandro Volta, who first devised apparatus for developing electric currents by chemical action, and established this branch of electric science; discovered by Volta; as, voltaic electricity. [1913 Webster]

2. Of or pertaining to voltaism, or voltaic electricity; as, voltaic induction; the voltaic arc. [1913 Webster]

Note: See the Note under {Galvanism}. [1913 Webster]

{Voltaic arc}, a luminous arc, of intense brilliancy, formed between carbon points as electrodes by the passage of a powerful voltaic current.

{Voltaic battery}, an apparatus variously constructed, consisting of a series of plates or pieces of dissimilar metals, as copper and zinc, arranged in pairs, and subjected to the action of a saline or acid solution, by which a current of electricity is generated whenever the two poles, or ends of the series, are connected by a conductor; a galvanic battery. See {Battery}, 4. (b), and Note.

{Voltaic circuit}. See under {Circuit}.

{Voltaic couple} or {Voltaic element}, a single pair of the connected plates of a battery.

{Voltaic electricity}. See the Note under {Electricity}.

{Voltaic pile}, a kind of voltaic battery consisting of alternate disks of dissimilar metals, separated by moistened cloth or paper. See 5th {Pile}.

{Voltaic protection of metals}, the protection of a metal exposed to the corrosive action of sea water, saline or acid liquids, or the like, by associating it with a metal which is positive to it, as when iron is galvanized, or coated with zinc. [1913 Webster]