Object Details
- Central Scientific Company
- Description
- A spherometer is used primarily for measuring the curvature of objects such as lenses and curved mirrors. For further information about spherometers. This example is marked with the "Cenco" trademark of the Central Scientific Company of Chicago, founded in 1900. They manufactured and sold educational scientific apparatus. Their 1936 catalog describes this item as "Spherometer, Student Form" and lists experiments in several popular physics textbooks that can be performed with this instrument. This instrument includes a demonstration optical flat and a large double-convex lens. This particular setup was probably used by students to replicate the Newton's Rings experiment. This spherometer is small (3.5 inches in height) and has both a vertical scale and a horizontal scale on the disc. This spherometer sold for $4.50 in 1941. This spherometer was originally owned by Columbia University.
- Central Scientific Company, Catalog (1941): 1014.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- Credit Line
- Gift of the Department of Physics, Columbia University
- ca 1906-1950
- ID Number
- 2001.0162.04
- catalog number
- 2001.0162.04
- accession number
- 2001.0162
- Object Name
- spherometer
- Physical Description
- metal (instrument material)
- glass (flat material)
- Measurements
- overall: 9.3 cm x 7 cm x 6.5 cm; 3 21/32 in x 2 3/4 in x 2 9/16 in
- overall parts in box: 3 5/8 in x 6 1/2 in x 5 1/4 in; 9.2075 cm x 16.51 cm x 13.335 cm
- place made
- United States: Illinois, Chicago
- See more items in
- Medicine and Science: Physical Sciences
- Science & Mathematics
- Spherometers
- National Museum of American History
- Subject
- Mathematics
- Record ID
- nmah_1184064
- GUID (Link to Original Record)
- https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49ca746aa-446a-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa
