Questions and Answers
What is the camera obscura and how does it work?
Its Latin name means dark chamber. A darkened box with a convex lens or aperture for projecting the image of an external object onto a screen inside.
What are the lenses of the camera obscura?
Small darkened rooms with light admitted through a single tiny hole.
What natural event can you use the camera obscura for?
Viewing solar eclipses of the Sun without endangering the eyes.
What is light-sensitive material?
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Where and when was the first photograph taken?
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What inventions did photography lead to?
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What pair of inventions did Edison take credit for that would lead to movies?
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Where are the Lumiere brothers from, and why might that be important?
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What was the improvement that the Lumiere Brothers made on Edison's invention?
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What was the first movie?
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What is the illusion of motion?
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What is the difference between musical reproduction and musical recording?
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Who developed the first sound recording?
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Why is a music box not a true recording?
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Who invented the phonograph, and what could it do?
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How did Bell improve the phonograph?
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What widespread invention limited the sales of record players in the 30's and 40's?
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What musical genre likely led to increased sales in the 50's and 60's?
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What is a microphone, and who invented it?
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What are different types of microphone?
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What is an audio transducer?
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What kind of microphone would you use to record a concert, and what kind for dialogue in a movie?
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How does a speaker work?
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Why is the ability to reach across borders important to radio?
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Why did radio develop later?
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Study Notes
Camera Obscura
- Camera obscura, Latin for "dark chamber," is a darkened box with a lens or aperture that projects external images onto an internal screen.
- Historically significant in the development of photography; requires a small hole to allow light entry.
Lenses and Functionality
- Involves small darkened rooms with light entering through a single tiny hole, transforming any room into a large camera obscura.
- Outside images appear upside down in a dark room; using a lens can enhance focus.
Practical Applications
- Can safely view solar eclipses without harming eyesight.
Light-Sensitive Materials
- Photographic film and paper consist of tiny light-sensitive grains suspended in a chemical medium.
- Exposure to light triggers a chemical reaction; silver nitrate was the predominant paper used historically.
Historical Milestones
- The first photograph was captured by Joseph Nicéphore Niépce in France around 1826-1827.
- Photography led to the invention of moving pictures, paving the way for cinema.
Pioneer Film Technology
- Thomas Edison credited for the Kinetograph and Kinetoscope, key inventions in early motion picture technology.
- The Lumière brothers from Besançon, France, created the Cinématographe, an early motion-picture camera and projector.
Innovations in Film
- The Lumière brothers' Cinématographe featured a mechanism that allowed multiple viewers to watch simultaneously, an improvement over Edison's designs.
- The first film, "Roundhay Garden Scene," was made in 1888, featuring a horse in motion.
Motion Perception
- The illusion of motion arises when artwork deceives the viewer into perceiving movement over time.
Sound Recording Vs. Musical Reproduction
- Musical Recording refers to audio capturing, while Musical Reproduction refers to notation on paper.
- The first sound recording was developed by Charles Cros with the playophone.
Music Boxes and Recording
- Music boxes do not constitute true recording as they merely replay pre-set notes, unlike instruments that create live sounds.
Phonograph Invention
- Invented by Thomas Edison, the phonograph records and reproduces music.
Enhancements by Bell
- Alexander Graham Bell improved the phonograph by replacing tin foil with wax and employing a floating stylus instead of a rigid needle.
Market Competition
- The rise of radios in the 1930s and 40s reduced the market for record players.
Influence of Rock and Roll
- Rock and roll emerged as a significant genre, boosting sales of records in the 1950s and 60s.
Microphones and Their Importance
- A microphone, invented by Emile Berliner, transforms sound waves into electrical variations, essential for capturing dialogue in video production.
Types of Microphones
- Dynamic Microphones are sturdy for concerts, whereas Condenser Microphones capture quiet sounds effectively; short shotgun microphones assist in focused audio capture.
Audio Transducers
- Devices known as audio transducers convert audio signal energy into mechanical energy.
Microphone Selection for Recording
- A Dynamic Microphone is suited for concerts, while a Condenser Microphone is ideal for dialogue in films.
Speaker Operation
- Speakers function by sending an electric current through a coil, creating a magnetic field that interacts with a permanent magnet to produce sound.
Importance of Radio
- Radio enhances communication across borders and serves as a vital information source where news is limited.
Development of Radio
- Radio technology emerged later due to various historical, technological, and societal factors.
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Description
Explore the fascinating concept of the camera obscura through these flashcards. Learn about its definition, historical significance in photography, and the mechanics of how it works. Perfect for students wanting to deepen their understanding of optics.
