Oscilloscope

An oscilloscope or scope is an electronic measuring instrument that creates a visible two-dimensional graph of one or more electrical potential differences. The horizontal axis of the display normally represents time, making the instrument useful for displaying periodic signals. The vertical axis usually shows voltage. The display is caused by a "spot" that periodically "sweeps" the screen from left to right.

Oscilloscopes in popular culture

In the 1950s and 1960s, oscilloscopes were frequently used in movies and television programs to represent generic scientific and technical equipment, in much the same way that Jacob's ladders and Erlenmeyer flasks full of dry ice had been used by an earlier generation of filmmakers. The 1963–65 U.S. TV show The Outer Limits famously used a fluctuating oscilloscope image as the background to its opening credits ("There is nothing wrong with your television set....") while the movie ' prominently features a Tektronix RM503 rack-mounted oscilloscope.

Related Topics:
1950s - 1960s - Jacob's ladders - Erlenmeyer flask - Dry ice - The Outer Limits

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