cloud chamber
–noun Physics. | an apparatus for determining the movements of charged particles, consisting of a chamber containing a supersaturated mixture of gas and vapor, the vapor condensing around ions created by the particle in its passing, thereby revealing the path of the particle. |
Origin: 1895–1900
Science Dictionary
cloud chamber
A device used to observe the movements of charged atomic and subatomic particles, such as ions, electrons, or muons. Cloud chambers consist of a closed container filled with a gas that is on the verge of condensing. Charged particles passing through the gas ionize the atoms in their path, forming visible lines of condensation. Compare bubble chamber.
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The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
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