The  complete  cycle  of  events  in  the  discharge  of  a  condenser  may  be  summarized  as
follows:  Referring  to  the  diagrams,  Fig.  94-a-b-c-d-e :  Just  previous  to  the  first  discharge
the  charge  in  the  condenser  takes  the  form  of  an  electrostatic  field  which  is  stored  up  between
the  plates  as  in  Fig.  94a.  The  strain  is  such  that  a  spark  leaps  from  the  positive  electrode  to
the  negative  electrode  of  the  gap,  that  is  the  collapse  of  the  electrostatic  field  causes  a  current
to  flow  across  the  spark  gap  through  the  inductance  L  which  sets  up  a  magnetic  field  around
the  coil  L  and  connecting  leads  as  in  Fig.  94b.  Since  all  of  the  electrostatic  field  is  converted
to  current,  the  magnetic  lines  of  force  collapse  back  upon  the  coil  L  (and  connecting  leads),
the  induced  current  resulting  therefrom  recharging  the  condenser  to  the  opposite  polarity  as
in  Fig.  94c.  Although  charged  in  the  opposite  sense,  a  quantity  of  electricity  less  than
that  of  the  initial  charge  is  stored  between  the  plates,  some  of  thejenergy  having  been  expended
by  the  resistance  of  the  circuit  and  the  production  of  heat,  light  and  sound.  The  condenser
now  discharges  across  the  spark  gap  in  the  direction  opposite  to  that  indicated  in  94b  and  the
coil  L  once  more  is  surrounded  by  a  field  (Fig.  94d),  but  which  is  opposite  in  polarity  to  that
of  Fig.  94b.  These  lines  of  force  collapse  and  recharge  the  condenser  to  the  polarity  indicated
at  the  beginning  of  the  cycle  in  Fig.  94a,  but  a  charge  less  in  quantity  is  stored  between  its
plates  than  at  the  beginning  of  discharge.
