A bolometer is a device used to measure the power of electromagnetic radiation. It is a type of thermal detector that measures the energy of radiation by detecting the temperature change it produces in a material.
Definitions
A bolometer is a sensitive instrument that measures the power of electromagnetic radiation by detecting the temperature change it produces in a material. It is a type of thermal detector that can detect radiation across a wide range of wavelengths, from radio waves to X-rays.
Origin
The bolometer was invented in 1878 by the American physicist Samuel Pierpont Langley. Langley used a thin strip of platinum as the sensing element, which was mounted in a vacuum chamber to reduce thermal noise. The first bolometer was used to measure the heat radiation of the sun.
Meaning in different dictionaries
- Merriam-Webster: a sensitive instrument for measuring the intensity of electromagnetic radiation (such as light).
- Oxford Dictionary: an instrument for measuring the intensity of radiation, especially of heat radiation.
- Cambridge Dictionary: a device that measures the strength of electromagnetic radiation, especially infrared radiation, by measuring the change in temperature that it causes in a material.
Associations
The bolometer is commonly used in astronomy to measure the intensity of radiation emitted by stars and other celestial objects. It is also used in materials science to study the thermal properties of materials and in the development of infrared imaging systems.
Synonyms
- Thermal detector.
- Radiation detector.
- Infrared detector.
Antonyms
- Electromagnetic detector.
- Magnetic detector.
- Optical detector.
The same root words
- Bolometry: the measurement of radiation using a bolometer.
- Bolometric: relating to or measured by a bolometer.
Example Sentences
- The bolometer was used to measure the heat radiation of the sun.
- The astronomers used a bolometer to measure the intensity of radiation emitted by the star.
- The materials scientist used a bolometer to study the thermal properties of the material.
- The development of infrared imaging systems was made possible by the invention of the bolometer.