Hertz's Radio Wave Experiment: A Comprehensive Study | Resources and References

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In summary, the conversation discusses the Hertz experiment in which he produced radio waves in a laboratory using an oscillator and a condenser. The conversation also mentions the use of metal spheres to store charges and the potential applications of this phenomenon. Various websites are suggested for further information on the topic.
  • #1
MPonte
I am from Portugal and from the school books I could not understand in all his dimension Hertz experiment in which he produced radio waves in laboratory. If you could refer some sites (I have searched a lot) it will be good but even better if you could send me some pages scanned from books concerning this topic.

Thank you.
 
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  • #2
http://www.acmi.net.au/AIC/HERTZ_BIO.html

In 1888, in a corner of his physics classroom at the Karlsruhe Polytechnic in Berlin, Hertz generated electric waves by means of the oscillatory discharge of a condenser through a loop provided with a spark gap, and then detecting them with a similar type of circuit. Hertz's condenser was a pair of metal rods, placed end to end with a small gap for a spark between them. When these rods were given charges of opposite signs, strong enough to spark, the current would oscillate back and forth across the gap and along the rods. With this oscillator, Hertz solved two problems: 1) timing Maxwell's waves (he had demonstrated, in the concrete, what Maxwell had only theorized: that the velocity of radio waves was equal to the velocity of light), and 2) how to make the electric and magnetic fields detach themselves from wires and go free as Maxwell's waves.

Hertz's students were impressed, and wondered what use might be made of this marvelous phenomenon. But Hertz thought his discoveries were no more practical than Maxwell's. "It's of no use whatsoever," he replied. "This is just an experiment that proves Maestro Maxwell was right -- we just have these mysterious electromagnetic waves that we cannot see with the naked eye. But they are there."
http://www.webstationone.com/fecha/hertz.htm

http://chem.ch.huji.ac.il/~eugeniik/history/hertz.htm - schematic of experimental apparatus (about half-way down page)

http://www.sparkmuseum.com/HERTZ.HTM

http://people.deas.harvard.edu/~jones/cscie129/nu_lectures/lecture6/hertz/Hertz_exp.html - Heinrich Hertz's Wireless Experiment (1887)

http://www.pupman.com/hvlistarchives/2004/Apr/msg00003.html
 
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  • #3
Thank you Astronuc. I already visited some, but others not. I just do not understand what are those big spheres for. Could you explain?
 
  • #4
I believe the metal (conducting) spheres were used to store significant amounts of charge. The spherical surface is ideal because is avoids any sharp corners where there would be strong local gradients in the electric field. The principal has been used in Van de Graaff generators to store large charges which provide for large potential differences.
 
  • #5
Thank you for the explication.
 

FAQ: Hertz's Radio Wave Experiment: A Comprehensive Study | Resources and References

1. What is Hertz's Radio Wave Experiment?

Hertz's Radio Wave Experiment was a series of experiments conducted by German physicist Heinrich Hertz in the late 1880s. These experiments demonstrated the existence and properties of electromagnetic waves, which were theorized by James Clerk Maxwell in the 1860s.

2. What was the purpose of Hertz's Radio Wave Experiment?

The purpose of Hertz's Radio Wave Experiment was to provide evidence for the existence of electromagnetic waves and to study their properties, such as their wavelength and speed. Hertz's experiments also paved the way for the development of wireless communication technology.

3. How did Hertz conduct his Radio Wave Experiment?

Hertz used a simple setup for his experiments, which involved creating a spark between two metal spheres with a small gap between them. This spark produced electromagnetic waves, which were then detected by a receiver located a short distance away. Hertz also used various instruments, such as a spark gap oscillator and a Leyden jar, to generate and measure the waves.

4. What were the key findings of Hertz's Radio Wave Experiment?

Hertz's experiments confirmed the existence of electromagnetic waves and their properties, such as their ability to travel through space at the speed of light. He also discovered that these waves could be reflected, refracted, and polarized, similar to other types of waves such as light and sound.

5. What are some additional resources and references for Hertz's Radio Wave Experiment?

There are many books and articles available that provide a comprehensive study of Hertz's Radio Wave Experiment, including "Hertz and the Maxwellian Theory" by J.L. Heilbron and "Heinrich Hertz: A Short Life" by Michael D. Cole. Other resources include scientific journals, such as "Annalen der Physik" which published Hertz's original papers, and online sources, such as the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) website.

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