Object Details
- Description
- Gravimeters (gravity meters) are extremely precise instruments that measure the earth’s gravity at a specific location. Gravimeters are often used by prospectors to locate subterranean deposits of valuable natural resources (mainly petroleum) as well as by geodesists to study the shape of the earth and its gravitational field. Differences in topography, latitude, or elevation—as well as differences in subterranean density—all affect the force of gravity. Commonly, gravimeters are composed of a weight hanging on a zero-length spring inside a metal housing to negate the influence of temperature and wind. Gravity is then measured by how much the weight stretches the spring.
- This is a display model of the original Worden gravimeter. Its central element, made of fused quartz, is an exact copy of the original, enlarged 5 times. The case and dials are slightly smaller. Worden Quartz Products, Inc., a Division of Ruska Instrument Corp., donated this instrument to the Smithsonian in 1967.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- Credit Line
- Worden Quartz Products, Incorporated
- ID Number
- AG.MHI-P-9437
- catalog number
- MHI-P-9437
- accession number
- 272383
- Object Name
- gravity meter, Worden
- Measurements
- overall: 54 cm x 27 cm x 27 cm; 21 1/4 in x 10 5/8 in x 10 5/8 in
- See more items in
- Work and Industry: Agriculture
- Natural Resources
- Measuring & Mapping
- National Museum of American History
- Record ID
- nmah_865076
- GUID (Link to Original Record)
- https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49ca746a6-c388-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa
