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Weather Instrument Used on Darwin's Beagle!

Storm Glass

HISTORY

Storm Glass is an instrument developed for forecasting weather and used by  Vice Vice-Admiral Robert FitzRoy Royal Navy (5 July 1805 – 30 April 1865), the captain of the H.M.S. Beagle while Charles Darwin was on board. Fitzroy was one of the first weather forecasters and became the first head of what would later become England's Meteorological office.

 

Robert FitzRoy

H.M.S. Beagle

HOW IT WORKS

A storm glass, also called a weather glass or camphor glass, is a glass tube containing a mixture of ammonium chloride, potassium nitrate, camphor, water, and alcohol, making a normally clear liquid in which different types of white crystals periodically grow and dissolve. The idea is that the mixture is so finely balanced that minor fluctuations in atmospheric conditions will change the solubility of the chemicals and produce a wide variety of crystal shapes, from tiny floating flakes to large masses of feathery fans. Each supposedly predicts a certain type of weather.

 

How to Interpret the Storm Glass

‧ Clear liquid : Bright, sunny, good weather

‧ Liquid is cloudy : Cloudy Weather

‧ Small dots in liquid : Humid or Foggy

‧ Cloudy with small stars : Thunderstorms

‧ Small stars on sunny winter days : Snow

‧ Crystals at the bottom : Thick air, frost

‧ Threads in upper tube : Windy Weather

 

Snowy

Forst

Snow is coming

Thunderstorms

Sunny

Contents:

Potassium nitrate, Ammonium chloride, Ethanol, Camphor, Glass tube, plug,

Base, Stir stick, Measure cup, instruction leaflet

 

ITEM DESCRIPTION

Storm Glass DIY kit

ITEM CODE    

ST1001         

Items in this range

Item Size   :   7.5 x 7.5 x 20.5 cm

Weight   :   0.125 kg

Item detail information

Item Code

Packaging

CTN (Pcs)

Master carton size

CBM

CUFT

N.W. ( kgs )

G.W. ( kgs )

Kit set ( Gift Box packaging : 1pc/Gift Box )

47.2x31.8x42.5 cm 

 0.064

 

2.25

6

7

ST1001 

48

Packaging detail information

Safety rules

1. Read these instructions before use, follow them and keep them for reference.

2. Keep young children and animals away from the experimental area.

3. Store this experimental set and the final crystal(s) out of reach of children under 15 years of age.

4. Clean all equipment after use.

5. Ensure that all empty containers and/or non-reclosable packaging are disposed of properly.

6. Wash hands after carrying out experiments.

7. Do not eat or drink in the experimental area.

8. Do not allow chemicals to come into contact with the eyes or mouth.

9. Do not apply any substances or solutions to the body.

10.Do not use any equipment which has not been supplied with the set or recommended in the

instructions for use.

11.Take care while handling with hot water and hot solutions.

 

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