Geissler Tube, an electron tube that is used to study the behavior of gases. It was invented in the 1860's by Heinrich Geissler, a German. The tube is made of glass, with an electrode at each end. Electricity is passed through a gas under low pressure within the tube; the color of the light produced depends on the kind of gas. Geissler tubes are used in physics demonstrations in high schools and colleges. They were forerunners of neon lights.