probably made in England

Reflectors, part of apparatus to demonstrate properties of radiant heat

These two concave silvered metal reflectors were made in the mid 19th century, probably in England. They were part of an apparatus to demonstrate the properties of radiant heat.

The reflectors were used in conjunction with a cage and thermometers to show heat and cold could be reflected from mirrors. A hot sphere or block of ice was placed in the cage and the reflectors set up to reflect the heat radiation onto a thermometer.

This experiment was performed in Edinburgh in 1800 by John Leslie (1766-1832) and T. C. Hope (1766-1844) in the presence of the scientist Benjamin Thompson, Count Rumford (1753-1814).

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Online ID:	000-190-004-046-C
Image Rights Holder:	National Museums Scotland
Project:	0098: National Museums Scotland Project description \| View all records in project
Ref:	National Museums Scotland T.1902.21.2
Date:	Mid 19th century Mid 19th century
Material:	Metal Metal
Dimensions:
What:	Reflector Reflector
Subject:	22. PHYSICS, Light (Departmental Classification) 22. PHYSICS, Light (Departmental Classification)
Who:
Where:	England England
Event:
Description:	Metal reflector on a stand, probably English, mid 19th century Metal reflector on a stand, probably English, mid 19th century
References:	For Count Rumford's description, see Brown, Sanborn C. (ed.) The Collected Works of Count Rumford, Vol. I. Cambridge, Mass., 1968, p 477 For similar items and their history, see Anderson, R. G. W., The Playfair Collection. Edinburgh: 1978, pp 120-2
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