clark cell: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2technical
Quick answer
What does “clark cell” mean?
A historical primary electrochemical cell (standard cell) used as a voltage reference standard, containing zinc and mercury amalgam electrodes in a zinc sulphate solution.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A historical primary electrochemical cell (standard cell) used as a voltage reference standard, containing zinc and mercury amalgam electrodes in a zinc sulphate solution.
In broader historical scientific context, it refers to a precise but obsolete laboratory instrument for defining the volt, superseded by more stable standard cells like the Weston cell.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Spelling identical. Usage confined identically to historical scientific/engineering texts.
Connotations
Historical curiosity, precision measurement, obsolete technology.
Frequency
Extremely low frequency in both dialects, found only in specialised historical contexts.
Grammar
How to Use “clark cell” in a Sentence
The [instrument] was calibrated using a Clark cell.The [scientist] replaced the Clark cell with a Weston cell.Vocabulary
Collocations
Usage
Meaning in Context
Academic
Found in historical papers on metrology, the history of electrical engineering, and obsolete calibration techniques.
Technical
Used in discussions of historical measurement science, museum displays of scientific instruments, and biographies of 19th-century scientists like Josiah Latimer Clark.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “clark cell”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “clark cell”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “clark cell”
- Pronouncing 'Clark' as 'clerk'.
- Using it to refer to modern voltage references.
- Confusing it with a biological cell structure.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is completely obsolete. It was superseded in the late 19th and early 20th centuries by the more stable and temperature-independent Weston (Cadmium) standard cell.
It was invented by the British engineer Josiah Latimer Clark in 1873.
It produced approximately 1.457 volts at 15°C (59°F), but its voltage changed noticeably with temperature, which was one of its major drawbacks.
Original Clark cells are museum pieces, found in collections dedicated to the history of science and technology, such as the Science Museum in London or the Smithsonian.
A historical primary electrochemical cell (standard cell) used as a voltage reference standard, containing zinc and mercury amalgam electrodes in a zinc sulphate solution.
Clark cell is usually technical in register.
Clark cell: in British English it is pronounced /ˈklɑːk ˌsɛl/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈklɑrk ˌsɛl/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think CLARK = CLear ARtifact for Keeping voltage - a clear, archaic standard.
Conceptual Metaphor
A FROZEN RIVER (a fixed, unchanging reference point in the flow of electrical measurement).
Practice
Quiz
What was the primary purpose of a Clark cell?