Copernicus - Radiometer

by Copernicus Toys

Product Features

• Light spin this radiometer's veins
• The stronger the light the faster they spin
• Vacuum sealed globe on a durable plastic base
• Comes boxed with informational pamphlet
• Explore light and physics

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 5 x 3.5 x 7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S. and to APO/FPO addresses. For APO/FPO shipments, please check with the manufacturer regarding warranty and support issues.
• ASIN: B001AYSAC0
• Item model number: RADIO
• Manufacturer recommended age: 13 - 15 years
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #37,335 in Toys & Games (See Top 100 in Toys & Games)
  • #8 in Industrial & Scientific > Science Education > Physics Classroom Supplies
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)

Product Description

From the Manufacturer

See light spin this radiometer's veins. The stronger the light the faster they spin. Vacuum sealed globe on a durable plastic base. Comes boxed with informational pamphlet.

Product Description

Radiometer Another oldie but goodie. 5" high evacuated clear glass stand 3" in diameter at the top. A four bladed vane is balanced on a needle inside the sphere. Because opposite surfaces of the vanes are black and white, incident radiant energy is absorbed or reflected to a different degree. The result is a spinning vane. The brighter the light, the faster it spins. Simple, but compelling. Brief explanatory instruction sheet included.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A really cool gizmo, January 1, 2008

By 

Duane Moyer (Perkasie, PA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

A radiometer doesn't do anything useful, but it's really cool. You set it in the light and it spins. That's all. My cousin had one when I was a kid and I was always jealous. It struck me a fun stocking stuffer for my son who is an engineering student. It was a real hit. He immediately set about determining what kinds of light worked best: sunlight, incandescent, fluorescent, flashlight, candle light, heat from a blow dryer. I guess I'm going to have to get myself another one when he goes back to college next week.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Classic Toy, Still Awesome!, June 24, 2009

By 

FLYingG0D (GLENDALE, AZ USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Copernicus - Radiometer (Toy)

This is wonderful! I remember when I was a kid, and had one of these. It is not exactly fun to play with actively all the time, or something that you will be using every day to check lighting conditions, but it is definitely something to put on your window sill, or on a dresser or book shelf where it can be hit with the sun. I find it more of a decorative piece.

It is good to see these are still being made and sold! I bought two, and they both arrived VERY well packaged, in perfect condition, and work great! They also come with a little workbook with scientific experiments that can be done with them, and explanations of why it spins. Useful to teach with!

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A fun toy that illustrates some physics principles, July 14, 2010

By 

Dr. Bojan Tunguz (Indiana, USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

= Durability:4.0 out of 5 stars  = Fun:5.0 out of 5 stars  = Educational:3.0 out of 5 stars 

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Copernicus - Radiometer (Toy)

Ever since I first came across one of these toys back in high school, I found it incredibly fascinating. For the longest time I thought it illustrated one of the very fundamental yet highly counterintuitive physics principles: light carries momentum. However, it turns out that this is not the mechanism that makes this toy work. The real physics behind it is a bit more mundane, although no less important. The colorings of vanes cause the air inside the bulb to be heated at different rates, which creates the pressure gradient that rotates the vanes. This is still a very important physical process, and this toy is a fun way of illustrating it.

The overall quality of this toy is fairly good. If not handled too roughly it will probably last forever. The best places to keep it are those that are in the open and receive a lot of light, like the work desk area or a window pane. The light bulb seems fragile and it should not be left in the areas where little kids or animals can easily reach it.