The document discusses the cathode-ray oscilloscope (CRO), which uses a cathode-ray tube to plot signal amplitude over time on its screen. It can display and analyze waveforms from various signals. The CRO consists of a cathode-ray tube, vertical and horizontal deflection systems to control the beam, a delay line, and other circuitry. It is used to study waveforms and time-varying phenomena across a wide range of frequencies in applications like engineering, science, and medicine.