coherer

American  

[koh-heer-er, -her-] / koʊˈhɪər ər, -ˈhɛr- /

noun

1. a person or thing that coheres.

2. Radio. a device usually used in detecting radio waves, as a tube filled with a conducting substance in granular form, whose electrical resistance increases when struck by radio waves.

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coherer British  

/ kəʊˈhɪərə /

noun

1. physics an electrical component formerly used to detect radio waves, consisting of a tube containing loosely packed metal particles. The waves caused the particles to cohere, thereby changing the current through the circuit

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Etymology

Origin of coherer

First recorded in 1890–95; cohere + -er ¹

Example Sentences

He invented the coherer for the detection of electric waves and to him Marconi’s first wireless message was addressed.

From Scientific American • Oct. 28, 2011

I remember building my first "coherer" set, using filings from the milled edges of a nickel and a quarter.

From Time Magazine Archive

The ends of the secondary circuit of this oscillation transformer are also connected to the terminals of the coherer tube, and these again are short-circuited by a small condenser.

From Hertzian Wave Wireless Telegraphy by Fleming, John Ambrose

In this instrument the diaphragm of an ordinary Bell telephone carries upon it a very small carbon or metallic coherer.

From Hertzian Wave Wireless Telegraphy by Fleming, John Ambrose

But both suggestions seem to be contradicted by the fact that if the pieces in contact be of certain substances the coherer works the opposite way.

From Marvels of Scientific Invention An Interesting Account in Non-technical Language of the Invention of Guns, Torpedoes, Submarine Mines, Up-to-date Smelting, Freezing, Colour Photography, and many other recent Discoveries of Science by Corbin, Thomas W.