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William Crookes and vacuum tube, 1903
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William Crookes and vacuum tube, 1903
William Crookes with his vacuum tube, in a caricature published in the British weekly magazine Vanity Fair in 1903. The caption was: Ubi Crookes ibi lux (Where Crookes is, there is light). British physicist and chemist Sir William Crookes (1832-1919) invented the Crookes tube, a forerunner to the cathode ray tube. Crookes used vacuum tubes to investigate cathode rays in 1878. He discovered that the rays (which were made of electrons) made the sides of the glass tube fluoresce. He also showed that the rays travelled in straight lines and that they could be deflected by a magnetic field. Artwork by Sir Leslie Ward ( Spy )
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Media ID 9196021
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1900s 1903 Apparatus Art History Caricature Chromolithograph Crookes Tube Device Elderly Experimental Holding Invention Inventor Knight Knighted Laboratory Equipment Leslie Ward Lithograph Looking At The Camera Physicist Portrait Scientist Seventies Vacuum Tube Vanity Fair Wove Paper Order Of Merit Physical William Crookes
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This lithograph from 1903 showcases the brilliant mind of British physicist and chemist Sir William Crookes, alongside his groundbreaking invention - the vacuum tube. Published in Vanity Fair magazine, the caricature humorously captures Crookes' significant contributions to science with a clever caption: "Ubi Crookes ibi lux" meaning "Where Crookes is, there is light". In this artwork by Sir Leslie Ward (Spy), we see an elderly Sir William Crookes holding his revolutionary apparatus with pride. The image portrays a man who has dedicated his life to pushing the boundaries of knowledge and understanding. Crookes' pioneering work with vacuum tubes began in 1878 when he investigated cathode rays. Through meticulous experimentation, he discovered that these rays were composed of electrons and could cause fluorescence on the sides of glass tubes. He also demonstrated their ability to travel in straight lines and be deflected by magnetic fields. This lithograph not only celebrates Crookes as a scientist but also highlights his knighthood for exceptional achievements in physics. It provides us with a glimpse into the laboratory equipment used during that era while showcasing the fusion between art history and scientific discovery. The print serves as a testament to both technological advancements at the turn of the 20th century and one man's unwavering dedication to unraveling nature's mysteries.
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