Geissler tube

American  

[gahys-ler] / ˈgaɪs lər /

noun

1. a sealed glass tube with platinum connections at the ends, containing rarefied gas made luminous by an electrical discharge.

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Geissler tube British  

/ ˈɡaɪslə /

noun

1. a glass or quartz vessel, usually having two bulbs containing electrodes separated by a capillary tube, for maintaining an electric discharge in a low-pressure gas as a source of visible or ultraviolet light for spectroscopy

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Etymology

Origin of Geissler tube

1865–70; named after H. Geissler (1814–79), German inventor

Example Sentences

Such dark waves, unless they are of the length of true light waves, cannot, it would seem, excite luminous radiation in a Geissler tube, and the luminous effects, which are producible by induction in a tube devoid of electrodes, I am inclined to consider as being of an electrostatic nature.

From Project Gutenberg

I have wound coils of very large diameter and of many turns of wire, and connected a Geissler tube to the ends of the coil with the object of exciting the tube at a distance; but even with the powerful inductive effects producible by Leyden jar discharges, the tube could not be excited unless at a very small distance, although some judgment was used as to the dimensions of the coil.

From Project Gutenberg

I have found it practicable to light up in this manner a lamp, and even a Geissler tube, shunted by a short, heavy block of metal, and this result seems at first very curious.

From Project Gutenberg

If a Geissler tube, the terminals of which are joined by a copper wire, be approached to the coil, certainly no one would be prepared to see the tube light up.

From Project Gutenberg

The introduction of a capacity between the terminals of the Geissler tube, for example two plates of metal 1600 sq. cm. in area separated by a glass plate 1 cm. thick, made no difference in the red glow so long as the connexions were good and the condenser was quiet.

From Project Gutenberg