Nested glass bulbs
Date
26 November 1662
Creator
Robert Hooke (1635 - 1703, British) , Natural philosopher
Object type
Archive reference number
Manuscript page number
p3
Material
Dimensions
height (page): 292mm
width (page): 192mm
width (page): 192mm
Subject
Description
Diagram showing section of a glass bulb fitted inside a larger glass bulb with water added between the two bulbs, illustrating 'A conjecture at the causes' of the inner bulb breaking. Follows 'A breif account of ye Experiments try'd with Glasse Balls by Mr Hook'. This was reported among other experiments using glass balls to the meeting of the Royal Society on 26 November 1662.
ABC shows a glass ball made of white glass melted in the flame of a lamp and sealed up while the ball was very hot. DFEIK indicates a bolt head cut off at IK to fit in the ball and sealed up with cement afterwards. Water is then poured in between the bolt head and the glass ball until it reaches H. When the top of the glass ball A is broken, the height of the water rises to G (1/8 of an inch), which indicates the measure of the air that was compressed in the glass ball ABC.
Copies of this image can be found in RBO/2i/040, RBO/2ii/044, RBC/1/261, Cl.P/24/51/003 and MS/776/239.
ABC shows a glass ball made of white glass melted in the flame of a lamp and sealed up while the ball was very hot. DFEIK indicates a bolt head cut off at IK to fit in the ball and sealed up with cement afterwards. Water is then poured in between the bolt head and the glass ball until it reaches H. When the top of the glass ball A is broken, the height of the water rises to G (1/8 of an inch), which indicates the measure of the air that was compressed in the glass ball ABC.
Copies of this image can be found in RBO/2i/040, RBO/2ii/044, RBC/1/261, Cl.P/24/51/003 and MS/776/239.
Object history
At the meeting of the Royal Society on 26 November 1662, ‘Mr. Hooke brought in his account of the experiments tried with glass-balls’ (Birch 1:127).
Related fellows
Robert Hooke (1635 - 1703, British) , Natural philosopher
Associated place