Discoveries using electricity N 1800 A FEw wEEKs AFTER VoITA announced h electricity-making pile pp. 16-17), William Nicholson 753-1815 and Anthony Carlisle(1768-1840) were experimenting with their own version. They noticed bubbles appeari in a drop water top the a pile. then passed the electric current through They bowl of water. Bubbles of gas appeared around the two metal contacts where they dipped into the water The bubbles around one contact were hydrogen, and the others were oxygen The electric current had produced a chemical reaction, splitting water into its two elements. This was electrolysis. Soon other substances were being investigated. phry Davy n brought electrolysis to when he used it ser time. Today's uses include electroplating, refining pure copper, extracting aluminium from its treated natural ores, and making substances such as chlorine.