Stroboscope

Stroboscope

A Stroboscope also known as a strobe light, is an instrument used to make a cyclically moving object appear to be slow-moving, or stationary. It consists of either a disc with slots or holes or a lamp such as a neon lamp or a LED with a variable frequency.

History

The stroboscope was invented by Simon von Stampfer in Austria, Joseph Plateau in Belgium and Michael Faraday in Britain in the 1830s. The modern version of the instrument was developed by Harold Eugene Edgerton in 1931.

Principle of operation

The principle of operation of a stroboscope is to illuminate the object to be studied with a light that is flashing at the same frequency as the object is moving. If the object is moving at the same frequency as the light is flashing, the object will appear to be stationary.

Applications

Stroboscopes have a wide range of applications in various fields. They are used in medicine, industry, and entertainment. In medicine, they are used to study the movement of the vocal cords. In industry, they are used to measure the speed of rotating equipment. In entertainment, they are used to create visual effects in discos and other entertainment venues.

See also

• Phenakistiscope
• Zoetrope
• Praxinoscope
• Flip book

References

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  Bouncing ball captured with a stroboscope
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  Strobe effect animation
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  1540 Strobolume by General Radio Corporation - separate control box and strobe on tripod
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  Close-up of the control box of the 1540 Strobolume
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  Stroboscope for a phonograph at 33 RPM