  Cadmium sulfide photoresistor. 
The s-curve on this sensor is made of cadmium sulfide, a semiconductor that becomes significantly more conductive to electricity when it is exposed to light.  The sensor is wired in series with a wire coil wrapped around a bi-metallic strip.  In the dark, little current flows through the circuit, and the wire coil remains cold.  When exposed to light, the resistance drops, current flow increases, and the wire coil heats up the bi-metallic strip, causing it to bend, which in turn snaps a relay contact to the opposite position.  This is a daylight sensor designed to turn an outdoor lamp on at dusk and off at dawn. 
Source: Farm & Fleet 
Contributor: Theodore Gray 
Acquired: 22 April, 2009 
Text Updated: 23 April, 2009 
Price: $10 
Size: 0.5" 
Purity: <30%
 |  
  |  
 |  
  |