Periscope

Many scientific instruments are used by scientists, which help them to collect and analyse data and information. But they aren’t always easy to understand or handle. Today, we’re going to take a look at one of the scientific instruments that you may have heard of before, the periscope. We will explain how it can be used in the field of science.

Some of the earliest inventors of the periscope were Polybius and Diocles in the 3rd century B.C. Louis Barbier invented the periscope in 1861 and sold his patent rights to The Tuttman Company in London, who released the first commercial model in 1896. In 1868 Midshipman John P.

What is Periscope?

A periscope is an instrument that allows a person to see objects or events that are otherwise not visible. A periscope is technically a reflecting optical telescope. It uses mirrors to redirect light and gives a view of things over, under, around, or through physical obstacles such as people, buildings, trees, and walls. The word comes from Greek roots: peri meaning around; skopos means sight; and -scope meaning to view. In general usage, periscopes are synonymous with scopes—but in electronics and radio terminology, a scope refers specifically to a type of oscilloscope.

How To Use Periscope?

The workings of a periscope depend on the principle of reflection. If something is in the line of sight and that thing reflects light, the periscope can make it visible.

The mirrors are set at a 45-degree angle, so when light falls on one of the mirrors, it reflects on the other mirror, then back to the person’s eyes. But in more complicated periscopes, prisms are used instead of mirrors. This device does not make anything more significant and does not give an image of anything below the crosshairs.

How to prepare a periscope?

This experiment aims to teach how to prepare a periscope that can be used at the pool, peak, and around the corner. Let us start with gathering the essential things to building a periscope. 

Requirements:

• Two circular-shaped mirrors. 
• 2 PVC pipes 12 inches long, each with a diameter a bit wider than the other so that they can glide against each other when struck together.
• Two PVC elbows: one fits smaller pipes, and the other fits larger ones.
• Putty.

How to make the periscope? 

• Use putty to make the back of mirrors stick to the inside of the PVC pipes at a 45-degree angle. 
• Join the inner surfaces to pipes of the same size.
• Now slide the bigger pipe over the smaller pipe. 
• Now pint the pattern. 
• Look at the elbow eyepiece on the smaller part of the pipe. You can even enter a tube through the top to extend the reach of the periscope.

Preparing the periscope instrument is quite easy, and following these simple steps, one can start exploring the potential of this scientific instrument. 

What are the uses of periscope?

Other than just using the scope to view objects that are on the horizon, there are various other functions mentioned below. 

• Periscopes are widely used in submarines, from determining distance for torpedoes to launching pads for bombs.
• Periscopes are used to observe the nuclear reactions at the atomic reactors. 
• Armed vehicles and war tanks use periscopes to inspect the surroundings and detect the enemies. 
• A military periscope is used to watch from a hidden position. The only downside to a periscope is that one person can only use it at a time.
• These devices are one of the most widely used tools in medicine. This is because they are more subtle in their capabilities than surgical procedures.

Apart from these, the uses of periscope are plenty, including exploring the places without revealing one’s presence. This is the main reason why periscope is widely used in military operations. 

What are the disadvantages of periscope? 

• The final picture will not be clear since light is absorbed by two reflections. 
• If there is dust and moisture, the instrument will not work since it reduces the reflections and gives blurred images. 

Conclusion

Now we understand that a periscope is an instrument that can be used in scientific research or experiments. A periscope can be used to get a better view of distant objects. It uses mirrors and lenses to reflect light, which helps us see things without needing to be physically there. One can see images or pictures of faraway places, things, or events that help discover new facts about the surroundings through these instruments. This Instrument has been in use for ages, and its design is also very easy since it has easily accessible parts and is made up of only using a few components.