Spinthariscope
date: label: date made
content: ca 1920s
name: label: maker
content: United States Radium Corporation
notes: label: Description
content: Background on spinthariscopes by United States Radium Corp, Objects ID 1994.0125.18 & .19
label: Description
content: A spinthariscope is a device for observing individual nuclear disintegrations caused by the interaction of ionizing radiation with a phosphor or scintillator. Typically, an eyepiece and a radiation source are located at opposite ends of the cylindrical device.
label: Description
content: Two types of spinthariscope are shown in the accompanying multi-object image; a Crookes spinthariscope, .17.1, appears on the right, and two spinthariscopes by United States Radium Corp., .18 and .19, appear on the left. (Photograph provided by donor, Prof. Herbert Clark, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.)
label: Description
content: For general background on the spinthariscope go to:
label: Description
content: http://skullsinthestars.com/2011/04/25/the-spinthariscope-see-atoms-decay-before-your-eyes/
label: Description
content: Description of objects ID 1994.0125.18 & .19
label: Description
content: Object .18 and .19 are the same. A cylinder, probably brass, wrapped with finely-grained black leather stamped in gold, “United States Radium Corp. / New York. The cylinder is 1 15/16” diam. x 1 5/8” long. There is a 3/8” diam. eye lens in the 1 cm long, top end cap (see accompanying image with top oblique view of Object .19).
label: Description
content: Object .18 is in better condition than .19. Object .19 has more deterioration of surfaces of end caps than .18, and the edges of the leather wrapping are slightly separated. Object .19 is slightly radioactive.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
topic: label: web subject
content: Science & Scientific Instruments
setName: label: See more items in
content: Medicine and Science: Modern Physics
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content: Science & Mathematics
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content: Modern Physics
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content: Measuring & Mapping
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Department of Chemistry
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: 1994.0125.19
label: accession number
content: 1994.0125
label: catalog number
content: 1994.0125.19
objectType: label: Object Name
content: spinthariscope
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: glass (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: leather (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: radioactive source (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: metal (overall material)
label: Measurements
content: overall: 4.2 cm x 4.8 cm; 1 5/8 in x 1 7/8 in
label: Measurements
content: eye lens in top cap: 3/8 in; .9525 cm