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.

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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

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Other Word Forms

• spinthariscopic
  adjective

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Etymology

Origin of spinthariscope

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

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

spinthariscope

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

Sir W. Crookes has invented a curious little apparatus, the spinthariscope, which enables us to examine the phosphorescence of the blende excited by these rays.

From The New Physics and Its Evolution by Lucien Poincaré

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

He had brought a little magnet near the spinthariscope.

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

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

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