How does a Brix meter work?

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Here is a Wiki article on the subject: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brix Degrees Brix (symbol °Bx) is a measurement of the mass ratio of dissolved sugar to water in a liquid. Brix is primarily used in fruit juice, wine making and the sugar industry for measuring the approximate amount of sugars in fruits, vegetables, juices, wine and soft drinks. For fruit juices, one degree Brix is about 1-2% sugar by weight. This usually correlates well with perceived sweetness. Modern Brix meters are digital refractometers that calculate the Brix value based on refractive index. [Added text from reference link - McG] May 13 08, 9:20 PM

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The hand-held Brix meter was originally designed for farmers to know nutrient levels of their produce and when to harvest crops. This precision instrument (refractometer) has a drop or two of the sap (juice) of the produce placed on the glass and held up to the light to read the Brix scale of zero to 32. The higher the Brix reading, the higher the nutrient levels. Total dissolved solids (or Brix) are measured with the Brix meter. The number on its scale indicates the level of balance of nutrient uptake and complexing of sugars or proteins in the photosynthesis factory – the leaf. If Brix is low, even after several hours of sunshine, some element(s) are missing in the photosynthesis factory. Ions, if present, have not been “complexed” into sugars or proteins. The Brix meter comes complete with the sap extractor, a calibration kit and reference chart to know what is a good Brix reading compared to a poor Brix reading, in four increments. The Brix meter does not require batteries for a reading, just light. The Brix meter can measure a wide range of fruits, vegetables, grasses, grains, legumes, even roses, anything that juice can be squeezed from. Brix readings differ from one species to another. Freshness since picked also affects nutrient levels. http://www.bionatural.com.au/index.php?action=productcatalogue&prodcat_id=506&prod_id=13005&pageID=3928§ionID=3928 May 14 08, 4:53 AM