Signedon slider: CENTRAL SCIENTIFIC CO.
FunctionA rheostat functions as a variable resistance or as a voltage divider. If one end of the metal strip and the electrical contact suspended from the bar are connected to a circuit, the rheostat works as a variable resistance. It can be altered by moving the point of contact with the strip around the cylinder. If one connects the other end of the metal strip, the movable contact becomes a voltage divider.
ProvenancePsychology Department, William James Hall, Harvard University.