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measurable current is produced. A resistance of 1GΩ resets the device instantly after the sparkover. Modern counter tubes are filled with a mixture of noble gases and alcohol at reduced pressure. Hence the [...] resistance becomes obsolete and the operating voltage can be reduced to a few hundred volts. Besides modern tubes are equipped with a window which allows also for a-particles to pass. Since they are considered

Millikan's apparatus for the determination of the elementary charge Listen From 1909 until 1911 Robert A. Millikan together with his assistant Harvey Fletcher conducted experiments to determine the el

Barlow's Wheel Listen Barlow's Wheel is the prototype of unipolar engine. Peter Barlow published its description in 1822 in the article "A curious electro-magnetic experiment". The star-shaped copper

Coulomb's Torsion Balance Listen Coulomb's Torsion Balance is a setup based on two glass cylinders, one of 65cm length with a torsion micrometer (fig.2, right) is placed on a glass plate that rests on

Electrostatic Generator Listen The electrostatic generator is one of many variants of a frictional electrical machine used in the second half of the 18 th century. It became standard equipment for the

Henley's Quadrant Electrometer Listen Henley's variation of a quadrant electrometer consists of an upright column with a brass stand. Attached to the column is a wire with an elder pith ball. If the i

Leyden Jars Listen A newly developed instrument shocked (most literally) scientists researching electricity in 1745: the Leyden Jar or Amplifiying Jar. The Prelate Ewald Jürgen von Kleist and the Leyd

Tangent Galvanometer Listen A galvanometer measures an electrical current by means of the electromagnetical properties of an induction coil and the Lorentz force. The instrument contains various coils

Voltaic Crown of Cups Listen The Crown of Cups is a modification of the Voltaic Pile. A rectangular plate of copper and zinc are connected by a wire soldered to both plates and thus an "electric eleme

Electrical Experiments for Entertainment Purposes Listen These exhibits are experimental setups made for entertainment's sake. They could be found in the parlours of educated families throughout the 1