Various Types of Scientific Instruments

Scientific Equipment, as the word suggests, are scientifically/specially designed artifacts, that are instrumental in carrying out scientific experiments, taking measurements and gathering data. If you have ever been to a scientific instruments manufacturers, you might have noticed the plethora intricate machines, apparatus, and sophisticated devices that are used by the scientists while working. Although scientific instruments are a part of laboratory equipments, they, in general are, more sophisticated more specialized than the latter. They usually incorporate computing technology to improve and simplify control, enhance and extend instrumental functions, conditions, parameter adjustments and data sampling, collection, resolution, analysis (both during and post-process), storage and retrieval.

A few Scientific Equipment are discussed below:

• Microscope: Microscopes are probably the most common scientific equipment and are used to observe microorganisms, objects that are far too small for the naked eye. The word Microscope comes from the Greek word mikros, meaning small and skopein, "to look" or "see". The origin of the microscope can be traced back to the late 16th century, to Hans Lippershey and Zacharias Janssen, two glass makers from Middelburg, Netherlands. Although the optical microscope is the most commonly used and the first to be invented, there exist numerous different kinds today. A typical optical microscope contains one or more lenses and uses light to form an enlarged image of a sample placed in the focal plane. Optical microscopes have refractive glass and occasionally of plastic or quartz, to focus light into the eye or another light detector.

Microscope

• Spectrometer: A Spectrometer is a scientific instruments manufacturers used to measure light across a spectrum. It functions by splitting the light collected by a telescope into all its colors, which allows scientists and astronomers see the details in the light from space. By measuring what specific parts of the spectrum are bright or dim, analysis of the light can be done, and this can tell us a good deal about the source of the light. Spectrometer operate over a very wide range of wavelengths, from gamma rays and X-rays into the far infrared. A few different types of spectrometers are Prism Spectrometer, Mass spectrometer, UV Spectrometer, Optical spectrometer, Grating Spectrometer, Color Spectrometer, Infrared Spectrometer, Raman Spectrometer.

Spectrometer

• Operand Conditioning Chambers: The operand conditioning chamber is also called a Skinner box. This equipment was made by B.F. Skinner while he was studying at Harvard University. This type of laboratory equipment is primarily used for studying and analyzing the behavior of the animals. The device is used to study both classical conditioning and operand conditioning.

Operand Conditioning Chambers

• Telescope: The telescope is an Scientific Equipment used to observe distant objects by electromagnetic radiation. Although Galilio is often credited for inventing the telescope, history documents that telescopes were used even in the early 16th century in Netherlands. In the early part telescopes used glass lenses and mirrors but with the advent of newer technology, radio telescope and infrared telescopes came into being.

Telescope

In contemporary times, the word telescope now refers to a wide range of instruments detecting different regions of the electromagnetic spectrum, and in some cases other types of detectors.