coherer

American  

[koh-heer-er, -her-] / koʊˈhɪər ər, -ˈhɛr- /

noun

1. a person or thing that coheres.

2. Radio. a device usually used in detecting radio waves, as a tube filled with a conducting substance in granular form, whose electrical resistance increases when struck by radio waves.

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coherer British  

/ kəʊˈhɪərə /

noun

1. physics an electrical component formerly used to detect radio waves, consisting of a tube containing loosely packed metal particles. The waves caused the particles to cohere, thereby changing the current through the circuit

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Etymology

Origin of coherer

First recorded in 1890–95; cohere + -er ¹

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

coherer

He invented the coherer for the detection of electric waves and to him Marconi’s first wireless message was addressed.

From Scientific American ● Oct. 28, 2011

I remember building my first "coherer" set, using filings from the milled edges of a nickel and a quarter.

From Time Magazine Archive

In place of the alternating current, Mr. Brown finds that a revolving permanent magnet can be used to produce the alternating magnetisation of the pole pieces of the sensitive tube or coherer.

From Hertzian Wave Wireless Telegraphy by John Ambrose Fleming

Thus, ignoring the intermediate steps, we get this: whenever the sending key is depressed current flows through the coherer and performs whatever duty is set before it.

From Marvels of Scientific Invention An Interesting Account in Non-technical Language of the Invention of Guns, Torpedoes, Submarine Mines, Up-to-date Smelting, Freezing, Colour Photography, and many other recent Discoveries of Science by Thomas W. Corbin

The coherer, or Branly filings tube, has the peculiarity that its passage from a non-conductive to a conductive condition follows immediately when the difference of potential between its ends is made sufficiently great.

From Hertzian Wave Wireless Telegraphy by John Ambrose Fleming

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