spinthariscope

American  

[spin-thar-uh-skohp] / spɪnˈθær əˌskoʊp /

noun

1. an instrument that detects ionizing radiation by picking up sparks of light from alpha particles.

---

spinthariscope British  

/ spɪnˈθærɪˌskəʊp /

noun

1. a device for observing ionizing radiation, consisting of a tube with a magnifying lens at one end and a phosphorescent screen at the other. A particle hitting the screen produces a scintillation

---

Other Word Forms

• spinthariscopic
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of spinthariscope

First recorded in 1900–1905; formed irregulary from Greek spintharí(s) (inflectional stem spintharíd- ) “spark” + -scope ( def. )

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

spinthariscope

You see it at a thousand points, at ten thousand points, look, the world is all flashing and flickering; it is like a spinthariscope; it is aquiver with the light that is coming to mankind.

From Soul of a Bishop by H. G. (Herbert George) Wells

A simple form of apparatus called the spinthariscope has been devised to show these scintillations.

From A Brief Account of Radio-activity by Francis Preston Venable

Chemical analysis fails to reach the radio-active properties, and for their examination the electroscope and spinthariscope are needful.

From The Grey Room by Eden Phillpotts

He had brought a little magnet near the spinthariscope.

From The War Terror by Arthur B. (Arthur Benjamin) Reeve

A little instrument called a spinthariscope, devised by Dr. Crookes and on sale at the instrument and optical-goods shops, may be had for a trifling sum.

From A History of Science, Volume 5(of 5) Aspects Of Recent Science by Henry Smith Williams