NUOVA VOLTIANA Studies on Volta and his Times Volume 3

The invention of Volta's pile initiated a long-standing controversy regarding the nature of voltaic electricity, first noted by Helge Kragh in the earlier volume of this series. This paper highlights that while the controversy seemed to diminish in the 1840s, it was rekindled in the 1880s with a refined focus on contact potential. The objective of this study is to provide insights into the earlier phase of this discourse, particularly examining whether the electricity in voltaic circuits results from the contact of dissimilar metals or from chemical reactions. The methodology involves a selective illustration of this historical debate through a few pertinent questions and examples while addressing the challenges of comprehensively covering the vast material available. In doing so, the study emphasizes the interaction between theoretical frameworks and experimental findings, proposing a method for resolving long-standing theoretical disputes. Thus, the discussion is framed within the context of the foundational period initiated by Volta's 1800 publication that sparked this significant scientific inquiry.