Our watch of the week is the Karlsson KA4204 Cathode. It is a modern
table clock with six small glass cathodes in which the time can be read. But what exactly are cathodes, and where do they come from? In this article, learn more about our Karlsson watch of the week, as well as the origin of the cathode.
What is a cathode?
In
chemistry, a cathode is the electrode at which a reduction reaction takes place. Electrons are taken up via the electrical connection and transferred to the chemical reaction. An electrochemical reaction always takes place at the phase boundary between an electrode and an electrolyte solution, an ion-conducting solid, or a melt. The electrons produced during reduction move out of the cathode into the other phase, hence the name from the Greek kathodos for downwards.
In
electrical engineering, the cathode is an electron-emitting electrode of an electron tube, fluorescent tube, or electron microscope. A distinction is made between thermionic cathodes, cold cathodes, and photocathodes. The pole that must be connected to the negative pole of the supply voltage in order to obtain a current is called the cathode.
In fact, the glass cathodes in our watch of the week also look like small inverted
test tubes. A test tube, also known as a sample tube, is a small glass container open at one end. Test tubes are used in laboratories for chemical reactions, tests, storage of small quantities of liquids, and much more. If needed, they can be sealed with plastic film, aluminum caps, cork, rubber, or plastic stoppers.
Our Karlsson KA4204
Our watch of the week is a modern table clock and has a beige wooden case. Six small glass cathodes protrude from this case. Protected inside the glass are six black panels, on which the digital time is displayed with red glowing Arabic numerals. The digital
table clock can therefore display hours, minutes, and seconds. It also comes with a power adapter for the wall socket. The designer behind this unusual living room clock comes from the Karlsson team and is called BOX32.
