Charles Thomson Rees Wilson, who was English scientist living in the years 1869-1959, constructed a special machine - the Wilson cloud chamber. It made the microscopic occurrences being easier to observe. The way it worked was based on the occurrence of the condensation of the water vapour. For the occurrence of the condensation there is needed something more than the adequate temperature and pressure. That is the presence of the microscopic particles on which the steam could appear. The ions can be also the medium for condensation.
The Wilson cloud chamber consists of the steam filled cylinder one side closed with the piston the other side- with the window. The fall of the piston causes the decrease of the temperature and the condensation of the steam on the ions present inside the cylinder.
The radiation is able to cause ionization. Watching the created droplets one can see the path of radiation. The influence of the electric and also the magnetic field on radiation can be studied as well as the interaction between the radiation and the matter.
The gift that scientists achieved was a new, powerful machine for study the many of microscopic occurrences.
