beat out new and new electrons each time. They soared up from a surface, rushed in an interplanetary scope on the central ring and fell. Other of them faced on the way neutral molecules, knocked out from them electrons which immediately fell to “ground”. And the stream of “meteorites” which broke from “earth” and flew to “the center of the Universe” grew as an avalanche – there was what is called increase in current.
Filinov, probably, still increased tension in a current chain to which the photo cell was attached, and gas molecules were suddenly lit. Now each of them became similar to the moon, and everything together they represented extremely beautiful show – thousands, millions of the moon which incessantly move.
– Gas luminescence? – Larichkin who did not forget about “terrestrial” names of the phenomena made in this world exclaimed. The sun window inflamed, grew dull. Filinov regulated luminous intensity. And when “window” shone stronger, the stream of electrons from a surface to the center of a sphere increased if “window” grew dull, also the current of electrons decreased – in other words, current fell. Harichkin and Larichkin saw what the scientist determines only by imagination, calculations given devices for observation own eyes. They could observe how the slightest increase or reduction of light increased or reduced quantity of the electrons falling on the central ring – that is current.
Harichkin and Larichkin were fascinated by an unprecedented show. They even forgot about danger and suddenly with horror saw that on their planetku-molecule the celestial body falls. They did not manage to scream from a fright as there was a collision and they fainted. And when recovered, saw that lie on a sofa near a cat of professor Filinov who had the usual sizes, as well as all around.
– There now – said Eagle owls – you also visited the world of a microcosm and now, probably, acquired much better all processes what are made in a photo cell. Light can give rise to electric current – you knew it earlier. Now you saw how he is born.
Photo cell! This new mighty weapon of the person. The current which is given rise or strengthened by light can set the mechanism in motion. Light can open and close doors, warn about the fires, stop trains, cars, to set huge cars in motion. Light of the star located at distance of hundreds of millions of kilometers from Earth can include an electric lighting, perform any task; the photo cell can sort cigars and consider development on the conveyor; the photo cell entered the industry, it will become usual soon and. The photo cell opens before inventors unlimited opportunities in all areas. Our photo cells are still weak as independent power sources, but that time when we learn to get directly from the sun the electric power of “industrial value” will come already soon. The roof of a body of the car will be a photo cell, and the car will move the solar energy turned into current. Roofs of houses will collect light in the afternoon to spend it at night. The polar summer will give so much photoelectric power that will get it for all long polar night. And night will stop being at night.
– You forgot to mention one important application of photo cells – in television – Harichkin told.
Larichkin pushed it sideways, however was already late. Filinov quickened and started talking:
– Yes, in television. Now I will explain you what role is played by a photo cell in television.
– We know – Larichkin answered.
– You know? – flew on it Eagle owls. – And I, guilty, not up to the end know. Also I want to understand, explaining to you.
It was its method: “to study, training”. Told about Filinov, as if he complained once: “What pupils, stupid at me! You will explain time – do not understand, you will explain two – do not understand. At last itself you begin to understand, and all of them do not understand yet”. And he liked to explain “known long ago”, assuring that in these explanations always and to itself (himself) you understand something that it seemed unclear and that unexpectedly you will understand more deeply and better.
– I know – Filinov became angry – so can tell only children like you. We, of course, know something, however in the field of radio, as well as in other areas, we still do not know a lot of things. Unless features of a layer of Hevisayd are known to us completely? Unless we are able to explain why the radio transmitter of bad home weak radio station reaches sometimes such distant reception and transfer what you will not always reach at powerful stations? We often grope the way in the dark. If we already “knew everything”, it would be awful. The youth on a share would have one cramming. Fortunately, for an inquisitive, innovative mind there is a work plenty. And for you including, my greyish pupils and assistants! – he added cockily. – The one who knows most, most modest.
By the way, about photo cells and television. Without photo cells also the television, of course, would be impossible. It is still imperfect also now. And therefore before going forward, “we will repeat passed”. I will tell only about the principles.
Larichkin breathed a sigh of relief.
– From your “travel” we learned that light can be turned into electric current. And vice versa: people learned to transform electric current to the public. All television is also based on these two facts. Here beam of light of a certain brightness. I pass it in a photo cell. Light excites current of the corresponding force. I give this current on wires or without wires. In the place of reception I turn electric current again to the public. And on the screen of the reception device there is a light spot, exactly same as though the ray of light from the source fell directly on our screen, without being exposed to transformation and transfer…
– Not exactly – Larichkin corrected. It was evil on this lecture about things, long ago known. – The ray of light loses something in force. Besides…
– Well, of course – Filinov agreed – at any transmission of energy it is necessary to deal with losses. And our purpose – to minimize them. But you do not interrupt me. I set the task to understand to myself… that is to you, the basic. – And it continued: – Thus, the ray of light can be transferred to other place by means of electricity. It would seem, as transfer of images on radio is easy. Put the person facing a photo cell, light more feasibly a face, and light reflected from an appearance will get to a photo cell, will excite current, current will come to other place, there it will turn to the public – and here before you on the screen the image of the person. And actually what we have? Not the image of the person, but light spot, no more. Why? Already and it is not so easy to answer this, apparently, simple question. Here we should think of how we in general see how our sight is arranged.
Why we see? And under what conditions? We see objects only because on them there are treatments of light and shade. In darkness everything is covered by absolute “shadow”, everything is black, and we do not see. However and at bright light we would also see nothing if shadows disappeared. Everything is dazzling would shine, would stick together eyes. And only. Sometimes inexperienced photographers seat photographed against a strong light source. Shadows almost disappear, and on a card instead of the person “pancake” turns out. Features cannot almost be distinguished. And light was more, than it is necessary! If we, as well as on the Moon, had no atmospheres, then all objects standing in a shadow absolutely would disappear from the field of our sight, and the subject lit half would seem to us the photo cut in two. Our sight is adapted for terrestrial conditions where thanks to the atmosphere we have an incalculable set of shadows and penumbras. Let’s take the human face lit sideways. We see this person. However actually we see a huge number of variously lit points – and not therefore only that points are lit unevenly, but also because the person unequally absorbs and reflects
