noun
stroboscope
STROH-buh-skohp/ˈstroʊbəˌskoʊp/
An instrument that uses flashes of light to study or measure rapid motion.
The stroboscope reveals sharp positions of the rapidly rotating disc.
Etymology
Whirling and an instrument for seeing combine in a name for examining motion. Periodic flashes let the observer study movement or see it as apparently frozen.
In context
so that's how to use a stroboscope in order to measure frequency now it can be used to measure the frequency of many things that move at a regular rate
More examples
- We adjust the stroboscope until the rotating wheel appears still.
- Portable stroboscopes help inspectors check machinery while it runs.
- The stroboscope reveals how the needle moves at high speed.
Forms
stroboscope · stroboscopes
stroboscopic adjective — Using flashes of light to study motion.
Similar words
- tachometer
- Measures rotational speed without necessarily using flashes of light.
- strobe
- Produces repeated flashes but need not measure or study motion.