Faraday cage

American  

noun

Physics.

1. an enclosure constructed of grounded wire mesh or parallel wires that shields sensitive electrical instruments from electrostatic interference.

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Faraday cage British  

noun

1. an earthed conducting cage or container used to protect electrical equipment against electric fields

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Faraday cage Scientific  

1. A container made of a conductor, such as wire mesh or metal plates, shielding what it encloses from external electric fields. Since the conductor is an equipotential, there are no potential differences inside the container. The metal hull of an aircraft acts as a faraday cage, protecting its occupants from lightning. Faraday cages are used to protect electronic equipment from such electrical interference as electromagnetic interference.

2. Also called Faraday shield

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Etymology

Origin of Faraday cage

First recorded in 1915–20; named after M. Faraday

Example Sentences

The scientific reasoning behind the supposed effectiveness of tinfoil hats is that the foil acts as a Faraday cage, shielding the wearer from any electromagnetic radiation.

From Salon • Jul. 24, 2021

Nissan unveiled its solution, which turned out to be an armrest that’s actually a Faraday cage.

From The Verge • Jun. 29, 2017

Manning, who is 29, tapped an unplugged microwave next to the door and asked me to place my laptop inside: The Faraday cage in the microwave would block radio waves, she explained.

From New York Times • Jun. 12, 2017

In it is a box of thin aluminum siding, known as a Faraday cage, just big enough to hold the test subject.

From Science Magazine • Jun. 23, 2016

I stared at my feet, at the floorboards, and realized that they weren’t floorboards at all, but faux-finish painted over a copper mesh—a Faraday cage.

From Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom by Doctorow, Cory