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Description: | The aluminised label is embossed with the legend MELINI CASA FONDATA NE. 1705 MANU Unsigned. after 1846 ISSU [MELINI] after 1846 [Casa Fondata] [Italy] This bottle is probably a recent replacement since it is moulded not blown glass. It represents the chianti bottle used by Lord Kelvin in his class demonstrations of random walk effects. Small beads, beans or shot would have been placed in the bottle which was plced on its side and spun. The contents of the bottle would be ejected randomly but if the experiment was repeated sufficiently a distribution pattern would emerge. This is representative of random events or experimental observations. Another piece of apparatus used for this purpose is the quincunx invented in 1873 by Francis Galton (1822-1911) which shows the distribution of lead shot dropped through a series of pins into a row of containers. The amount of shot in each container forms part of a distribution curve. The chianti bottle was presumaby used to demonstrate the treatment of experimental errors. This item On loan to the Physics and Astronomy Department EXIT NUMBER 2092 it is object 9 in display case A Kelvin & 'the New Professors ', in room 470, The Kelvin Building, Department of Physics and Astronomy Glasgow University. | License: | http://www.hmag.gla.ac.uk/spirit/rights/ | Publisher: | Hunterian Museum and Art Gallery, University of Glasgow | Rights holder: | Hunterian Museum and Art Gallery, University of Glasgow | Subjects: | SCIENTIFIC COLLECTION : | Source: | Hunterian Museum | Creator: | Hunterian Museum and Art Gallery, University of Glasgow | Identifier: | http://www.huntsearch.gla.ac.uk/cgi-bin/... | Language: | en-GB | Go to resource |
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