Torsion balance
device · 1777 · Industrial Revolution
Measuring tiny forces (Coulomb, Cavendish).
What it is made of
- Torsion fiber — has part. A thin fibre that twists under force.
- Torsion beam with small balls — has part. Small balls on a rod.
- Large lead balls — has part. The attracting masses.
- Small mirror — has part. It reflects the beam for reading the angle.
Principles and materials it uses
- Elasticity — uses. The twisting of a fibre.
- Glass — is made of. The instrument is housed in a glass case.
- Silver — is made of. The suspension fibre is a thin silver wire.
Where it is used
- Coulomb’s law — is used in. Measured with a torsion balance.
- Universal gravitation — is used in. The Cavendish experiment — weighing the Earth.