The Oxford Electric Bell or Clarendon Dry Pile is an experimentalelectric bell, in particular a type of bell that uses the electrostatic clock principle that was set up in 1840 and which has run nearly continuously ever since. It was one of the first pieces purchased for a collection of apparatus by clergyman and physicist Robert Walker.[1][2] It is located in a corridor adjacent to the foyer of the Clarendon Laboratory at the University of Oxford, England, and is still ringing, albeit inaudibly due to being behind two layers of glass.
The Oxford Electric Bell in December 2009
Charged by the two piles, the clapper moves back and forth between the two bells.
The experiment consists of two brassbells, each positioned beneath a dry pile (a form of battery), the pair of piles connected in series, giving the bells opposite electric charges. The clapper is a metal sphere approximately 4 mm (3⁄16 in) in diameter suspended between the piles, which rings the bells alternately due to electrostatic force. When the clapper touches one bell, it is charged by that pile. It is then repelled from that bell due to having the same charge and attracted to the other bell, which has the opposite charge. The clapper then touches the other bell and the process reverses, leading to oscillation. The use of electrostatic forces means that while high voltage is required to create motion, only a tiny amount of charge is carried from one bell to the other. As a result, the batteries drain very slowly, which is why the piles have been able to last since the apparatus was set up in 1840. Its oscillation frequency is 2 hertz.[3]
The exact composition of the dry piles is unknown, but it is known that they have been coated with molten sulfur for insulation and it is thought that they may be Zamboni piles.[2]
At one point this sort of device played an important role in distinguishing between two different theories of electrical action: the theory of contact tension (an obsolete scientific theory based on then-prevailing electrostatic principles) and the theory of chemical action.[4]
The Oxford Electric Bell does not demonstrate perpetual motion. The bell will eventually stop when the dry piles have distributed their charges equally if the clapper does not wear out first.[5][6] The Bell has produced approximately 10 billion rings since 1840 and holds the Guinness World Record as "the world's most durable battery [delivering] ceaseless tintinnabulation".[2]
Operation
Apart from occasional short interruptions caused by high humidity, the bell has rung continuously since 1840.[7] The bell may have been constructed in 1825.[2]
^"Walker, Robert". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/38098. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
^ abcd"Exhibit 1 – The Clarendon Dry Pile". Department of Physics. Oxford University. Retrieved 30 January 2021.
^Willem Hackmann. "The Enigma of Volta's "Contact Tension" and the Development of the "Dry Pile"" (PDF). ppp.unipv.it. Retrieved 2 March 2018.
^The World's Longest Experiment 3 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine, The Longest List of the Longest Stuff at the Longest Domain Name at Long Last.
^The Latest on Long-Running Experiments 5 February 2016 at the Wayback Machine, Improbable Research.
^Ord-Hume, Arthur W. J. G. (1977). Perpetual Motion: The History of an Obsession. George Allen & Unwin. p. 172.
Further reading
Willem Hackmann, "The Enigma of Volta's "Contact Tension" and the Development of the "Dry Pile"", appearing in Nuova Voltiana: Studies on Volta and His Times, nb Volume 3 (Fabio Bevilacqua; Lucio Frenonese (Editors)), 2000, pp. 103–119.
"Exhibit 1 - The Clarendon Dry Pile". Oxford Physics Teaching, History Archive. Retrieved 14 June 2021.
Croft, A J (1984). "The Oxford electric bell". European Journal of Physics. 5 (4): 193–194. Bibcode:1984EJPh....5..193C. doi:10.1088/0143-0807/5/4/001.
Croft, A J (1985). "The Oxford electric bell". European Journal of Physics. 6 (2): 128. Bibcode:1985EJPh....6..128C. doi:10.1088/0143-0807/6/2/511.
External links
Oxford Electric Bell, Youtube video with David Glover-Aoki (18 October 2011)
March 03, 2023
oxford, electric, bell, clarendon, pile, experimental, electric, bell, particular, type, bell, that, uses, electrostatic, clock, principle, that, 1840, which, nearly, continuously, ever, since, first, pieces, purchased, collection, apparatus, clergyman, physic. The Oxford Electric Bell or Clarendon Dry Pile is an experimental electric bell in particular a type of bell that uses the electrostatic clock principle that was set up in 1840 and which has run nearly continuously ever since It was one of the first pieces purchased for a collection of apparatus by clergyman and physicist Robert Walker 1 2 It is located in a corridor adjacent to the foyer of the Clarendon Laboratory at the University of Oxford England and is still ringing albeit inaudibly due to being behind two layers of glass The Oxford Electric Bell in December 2009 Charged by the two piles the clapper moves back and forth between the two bells Contents 1 Design 2 Operation 3 See also 4 References 5 Further reading 6 External linksDesign EditThe experiment consists of two brass bells each positioned beneath a dry pile a form of battery the pair of piles connected in series giving the bells opposite electric charges The clapper is a metal sphere approximately 4 mm 3 16 in in diameter suspended between the piles which rings the bells alternately due to electrostatic force When the clapper touches one bell it is charged by that pile It is then repelled from that bell due to having the same charge and attracted to the other bell which has the opposite charge The clapper then touches the other bell and the process reverses leading to oscillation The use of electrostatic forces means that while high voltage is required to create motion only a tiny amount of charge is carried from one bell to the other As a result the batteries drain very slowly which is why the piles have been able to last since the apparatus was set up in 1840 Its oscillation frequency is 2 hertz 3 The exact composition of the dry piles is unknown but it is known that they have been coated with molten sulfur for insulation and it is thought that they may be Zamboni piles 2 At one point this sort of device played an important role in distinguishing between two different theories of electrical action the theory of contact tension an obsolete scientific theory based on then prevailing electrostatic principles and the theory of chemical action 4 The Oxford Electric Bell does not demonstrate perpetual motion The bell will eventually stop when the dry piles have distributed their charges equally if the clapper does not wear out first 5 6 The Bell has produced approximately 10 billion rings since 1840 and holds the Guinness World Record as the world s most durable battery delivering ceaseless tintinnabulation 2 Operation EditApart from occasional short interruptions caused by high humidity the bell has rung continuously since 1840 7 The bell may have been constructed in 1825 2 See also EditLong term experiment Franklin bells Beverly Clock 1864 Pitch drop experiment 1927 The Clock of the Long NowReferences Edit Walker Robert Oxford Dictionary of National Biography online ed Oxford University Press doi 10 1093 ref odnb 38098 Subscription or UK public library membership required a b c d Exhibit 1 The Clarendon Dry Pile Department of Physics Oxford University Retrieved 30 January 2021 Oxford Electric Bell Atlas Obscura Willem Hackmann The Enigma of Volta s Contact Tension and the Development of the Dry Pile PDF ppp unipv it Retrieved 2 March 2018 The World s Longest Experiment Archived 3 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine The Longest List of the Longest Stuff at the Longest Domain Name at Long Last The Latest on Long Running Experiments Archived 5 February 2016 at the Wayback Machine Improbable Research Ord Hume Arthur W J G 1977 Perpetual Motion The History of an Obsession George Allen amp Unwin p 172 Further reading EditWillem Hackmann The Enigma of Volta s Contact Tension and the Development of the Dry Pile appearing in Nuova Voltiana Studies on Volta and His Times nb Volume 3 Fabio Bevilacqua Lucio Frenonese Editors 2000 pp 103 119 Exhibit 1 The Clarendon Dry Pile Oxford Physics Teaching History Archive Retrieved 14 June 2021 Croft A J 1984 The Oxford electric bell European Journal of Physics 5 4 193 194 Bibcode 1984EJPh 5 193C doi 10 1088 0143 0807 5 4 001 Croft A J 1985 The Oxford electric bell European Journal of Physics 6 2 128 Bibcode 1985EJPh 6 128C doi 10 1088 0143 0807 6 2 511 External links EditOxford Electric Bell Youtube video with David Glover Aoki 18 October 2011 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Oxford Electric Bell amp oldid 1117590027, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
