ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

De Forest tube

Hi there! Do you know what a light bulb is? It’s the thing that gives us light when we turn it on. De Forest tube is kind of like a light bulb but instead of giving us light, it makes sounds louder.

Let’s imagine you and your friend are talking to each other in a quiet place like a library. You can hear your friend’s voice but it’s not very loud. Now, let’s say you put a megaphone in front of your ear. The sound of your friend’s voice will now be louder, and you can hear it really well.

The de Forest tube works in a similar way. It has a special part called a cathode, which is like the filament in a light bulb. The cathode heats up and releases a stream of electrons. Then, the electrons move through the tube to a special part called a grid. The grid acts like a gate and controls the flow of electrons. When you apply a small current to the grid, it lets more electrons flow through the tube, and the sound gets louder.

Overall, the de Forest tube is like a special device that makes sounds louder, and it helped people improve their radios and other electronics a long time ago.