DICTIONARY OF AUTOMOTIVE TERMS (A - E) A: Abbreviation or symbol for absolute temperature , absorption coefficient , acceleration , adenine , ampere , amplitude , angular acceleration , area , attenuation coefficient , fine-structure constant , helium nucleus, Helmhotz free energy , magnetic vector potential , relative atomic mass , a stereoisomer of a sugar, substitution on a carbon atom next to one common to two condensed aromatic nuclei, substitution on the carbon atom next to the hetero-atom in ahetero-cyclic compound, and substitution on the carbon atom of a chain next to the functional group. A-2 tire: A term used for tire sizes 16.00 and larger in nominal cross section. Also called earthmover or off-the-road tire. AA: Abbreviation for "Automobile Association" a term used in Great Britain. aa: A term of Hawaiian origin for lava flows with a rough, jagged surface. AAA: Acronym for "American Automobile Association" or "Alberta Automobile Association." AABM: Acronym for "Association of American Battery Manufacturers, Inc." AAE: Acronym for "Association of Automotive Employers" (Poland).
IN THIS FILE ALL AUTOMOBILE WORDS MEANING IN DETAIL
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1. DICTIONARY OF AUTOMOTIVE TERMS (A - E) A: Abbreviation or
symbol for absolute temperature, absorption coefficient,
acceleration, adenine, ampere, amplitude, angular acceleration,
area, attenuation coefficient, fine-structure constant, helium
nucleus, Helmhotz free energy, magnetic vector potential, relative
atomic mass, a stereoisomer of a sugar, substitution on a carbon
atom next to one common to two condensed aromatic nuclei,
substitution on the carbon atom next to the hetero-atom in
ahetero-cyclic compound, and substitution on the carbon atom of a
chain next to the functional group. A-2 tire: A term used for tire
sizes 16.00 and larger in nominal cross section. Also called
earthmover or off-the-road tire. AA: Abbreviation for "Automobile
Association" a term used in Great Britain. aa: A term of Hawaiian
origin for lava flows with a rough, jagged surface. AAA: Acronym
for "American Automobile Association" or "Alberta Automobile
Association." AABM: Acronym for "Association of American Battery
Manufacturers, Inc." AAE: Acronym for "Association of Automotive
Employers" (Poland).
2. AAIA: Acronym for "Automotive Aftermarket Industry
Association". AALA: Acronym for "American Automobile Labelling
Act." aalenian: The oldest stage of the Middle-Jurassic. AAM:
Acronym for "Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers". AAP: Acronym
for "auxiliary acceleration pump". A arm: See A-arm A-arm: A
suspension linkage formed in the shape of an "A" or "V" found
commonly on the front suspension. The sides of the two legs of the
A-arm are connected to the chassis by rubber bushings and the peak
of the A-arm is attached to the wheel assembly. In this way, the
wheel can freely move up and down. Sometimes there is an upper
A-arm, a lower A-arm, or both upper and lower A-arms. The British
call it a "wishbone." Also see double wishbone A-arm suspension:
See double wishbone AAS:
3. Acronym for "air aspirator system". abacus: [1] The
uppermost part of a column capital or pilaster, on which the
architrave rests. [2] A bead frame. Used as an arithmetic
calculating aid. abampere: A unit of electric current in the CGS
electromagnetic system of units. One abampere equals 10A. abamurus:
A supporting wall or buttress, built to add strength to another
wall. abandonment: A voluntary surrender of legal rights or title
to a mining claim. abatjour: An opening to admit light and
generally to deflect it downwards; a skylight. abaxial: Rays of
light which do not coincide with the optical axis of a lens system.
ABC: [1] Acronym for "aerial bunched conductors" [2] Acronym for
"automatic beam control". ABDC: Acronym for after bottom dead
center. A term used in timing the relation of the spark and the
crankshaft. Abel flashpoint apparatus:
4. A petroleum-testing apparatus for determining the
flash-point. Abelian group: A group in which the group operation is
commutative. It is important in the study of rings and vector
spaces. aberration: [1] An apparent change of position of a
heavenly body, due to the speed of light having a finite ratio to
the relative velocity of the source and the observer. [2] In an
image-forming system, e.g., an optical or electronic lens, failure
to produce a true image, e.g., a point object as a point image.
Geometrical aberrations include spherical aberration, coma,
astigmatism, curvature of the field, and distortion. See chromatic
aberration abhesive: A substance which prevents two materials
sticking together, e.g., Teflon on frying pans. ability: See
climbing ability cold cranking ability ABL: Acronym for
"atmospheric boundary layer" panel. ablation: [1] Any one of the
processes by which snow and ice are lost from a glacier, mainly by
melting and evaporation (sublimation). [2] Removal of surface
layers of a meteorite and tektites during flight. ablative polymer:
A material which degrades controllably in an aggressive
environment, especially on re-entry space-craft. Extreme
temperatures are reached on heat shield, so it is protected with
ablation shield made of e.g., silicone polymer. The same principle
is used in intumescent paints for fire
5. resistance. Abney law: A rule stating that if a spectral
color is desaturated by the addition of white light, and if its
wave length is less than 570 nm, its hue then moves towards the red
end of the spectrum, while if the wavelength is more than 570 nm
its hue moves towards the blue. Abney level: Hand-held instrument
in which angles of steep sights are measured while simultaneously
viewing a spirit-level bubble. Abney mounting: A form of mounting
for a concave diffraction grating, in which the eye-piece (or
photographic plate holder) is fixed at the center of curvature of
the grating and the slit can move around the circumference of the
Rowland circle, to bring different orders of spectrum into view.
abnormal glow discharge: A discharge carrying current in excess of
that which is required to cover the cathode completely with visible
radiation. abnormal reflection: Reflection from the ionosphere of a
radio wave whose frequency is greater than the critical frequency.
aboard: See lighter aboard ship aboard ship: See lighter aboard
ship A-bomb: See atomic bomb A bone:
6. Nickname for a Ford Model "A". abort: To terminate a
vehicle's flight either by failure or deliberate action to prevent
dangerous consequences; if manned, a predetermined sequence of
events is followed to ensure the safety of the crew. ABPV: Acronym
for "air bypass valve". abradant: A substance, usually in powdered
form, used for grinding. Also see abrasive abrade: To scratch or
tear away two surfaces in contact by relative motion. Abram's law:
A rule that the ratio of water to cement for chemical action to
impart strength to concrete is 0.85:1. abrasion: [1] Wearing or
rubbing away some surface because of friction. [2] Mechanical
wearing away of rocks by rubbing during movement. abrasion
hardness: Resistance to abrasive wear, under specified conditions,
of metal or mineral. abrasive: A hard grit used for sanding or
grinding. It is usually in powdered form, used for the removal of
material by scratching and grinding, e.g., silicon carbide powder
(carborundum). Also see bonded abrasive
7. coated abrasive non-woven abrasive abrasive blast cleaning:
A method for preparing steel for painting whereby abrasive
particles, e.g., copper slag, are projected under pressure through
a nozzle. Very effective in removing rust and mill scale, leaving
an anchor pattern (a pattern of minute projections) on the
substrate affording good paint adhesion. abrasive cleaner: A
cleanser with some hard grit used to remove the grime and oils from
a surface. abrasive disc: A circular plate (often made of plastic
with hard grit embedded into it) used for grinding or sanding.
abrasive paper: Sandpaper (a paper upon which sand or hard grit has
been glued) used for sanding or grinding. abrasive wear: A
mechanism of wear due to the presence in one or both surfaces of
hard particles (e.g., carbide in steels), or to hard particles
trapped between them. A/B roll editing: Video editing using two
source players (A and B) enabling dubbing from both. Necessary if
scenes are to be superimposed. A/B roll printing: A method of film
printing with alternate scenes assembled in two rolls, each having
black spacing equivalent in length to the omitted scene; double
printing from the two allows the inclusion of fade and dissolve
effects and avoids visible splice marks between scenes in 16 mm
printing.
8. ABS: [1] Acronym for "anti-lock brakes. The acronym ABS
comes from the German anti blockier system. [2] Acronym for
"acylonitrile-butadiene-styrene." Also see copolymer abscissa: For
rectilineal axes of coordinates, the distance of a point from the
axis of ordinates measured in a direction parallel to the axis of
abscissae, which is usually horizontal. The sign convention is that
measurements to the right from the axis of ordinates are positive,
measurements to the left negative. absolute: A conic (a quadric in
three dimensions) formed by the assemblage of the points at
infinity on a line (in general two points). Its form determines the
metrical properties of the geometrical system being operated. Thus
in Euclidean geometry, the absolute is the degenerate conic
comprising the line at infinity taken twice, while in non-Euclidean
geometry, the absolute is either a real conic (hyperbolic geometry)
or an imaginary conic (elliptic geometry). Also see manifold
absolute pressure sensor POA suction throttling valve absolute
address: A computer code designation of a specific memory location
as determined by the hardware. absolute age: The geological age of
a fossil, mineral, rock or event, generally given in years.
absolute ampere: The standard MKS unit of electric current;
replaced the international ampere in 1948.
9. absolute ceiling: The height at which the rate of climb of
an aircraft, in standard atmosphere, would be zero; the maximum
height attainable under standard conditions. absolute electrometer:
A high-grade attracted-disk electrometer in which an absolute
measurement of potential can be made by weighing the attraction
between two charged disks against gravity. absolute filter: A
filter which removes most particulate matter from gases. absolute
humidity: The mass (actual amount) of water vapor present in a unit
of volume of moist air. absolute instrument: An instrument which
measures a quantity directly in absolute units, without the
necessity for previous calibration. absolute permeability: See
permeability absolute pressure: Pressure measured from a starting
point of zero in perfect vacuum. When measured by the absolute
pressure scale, atmospheric pressure is 14.7 psi or 29.92 inches of
mercury (in-Hg). Also see manifold absolute pressure sensor
absolute pressure sensor: See manifold absolute pressure sensor
barometric absolute pressure sensor absolute reaction rate: The
reaction rate determined from statistical thermodynamics; uses the
assumption of the theory of absolute reaction rates that the rate
of a
10. chemical reaction is governed by the rate of crossing an
energy barrier or of forming an activated complex. absolute
temperature: Temperature measured with respect to absolute zero,
i.e., the zero of the kelvin thermodynamic scale of temperature, a
scale which cannot take negative values. absolute temperature
scale: Also called the absolute scale temperature as measured on a
scale in which the hypothetical lowest limit of physical
temperature is assigned the value zero. The Kelvin scale is an
example of the absolute temperature scale. absolute units: Units
derived directly from the fundamental units of a system and not
based on arbitrary numerical definitions. The differences between
absolute and international units were small; both are now
superseded by the definitions of SI units. absolute wavemeter: A
wavemeter in which the frequency of the injected radio-frequency
signal is by calculation of physical properties (circuit elements
or dimensions) of a resonant circuit line or cavity. absolute
weight: The weight (or mass) of a body in a vacuum. absolute zero:
The point at which there is a total absence of heat, minus 459.67F
(-273.15C). absorbance: [1] The logarithm of the ratio of the
intensity of light incident on a sample to that transmitted by it.
It is usually directly proportional to the concentration of the
absorbing substance in a solution.
11. [2] The capacity of materials such as textile fibers and
paper to absorb liquids. absorbed dose: Quantity of energy imparted
by ionizing radiation to a unit mass of biological tissue. Unit is
the gray. absorbent: Substance with the ability to take up or
absorb another substance. absorber: Any material which converts
energy of radiation or particles into another form, generally heat.
Energy transmitted is not absorbed. Scattered energy is often
classed with absorbed energy. Also see air shock absorber arc
absorber adjustable shock absorbers damper direct-acting shock
absorber double-tube shock absorber friction shock absorber gas
shock absorber impact absorber lever-type shock absorber monotube
shock absorber self-levelling shock absorber shock absorber
single-tube shock absorber. telescopic shock absorber UV absorber
absorber rod: See control rod absorber tower: See shock absorber
tower absorbing: See energy absorbing steering column energy
absorbing bumper absorbing bumper: See energy absorbing bumper
absorbing material: Any medium used for absorbing energy from
radiation of any type.
12. absorbing steering: See energy absorbing steering column
absorbing steering column: See energy absorbing steering column
absorptance: A measure of the ability of a body to absorb
radiation; the ratio of the radiant flux absorbed by the body to
that incident on the body. absorption: The use of reagents to
remove unwanted antibodies or antigens from a mixture. Also see
acoustic absorption air absorption atmospheric absorption sound
absorption absorption band: A dark gap in the continuous spectrum
of white light transmitted by a substance which exhibits selective
absorption. absorption capacitor: A capacitor connected across a
spark gap to damp the discharge. absorption coefficient: [1] The
volume of gas, measured at stp, dissolved by unit volume of a
liquid under normal pressure (i.e., one atmosphere). [2] The
fraction of the energy which is absorbed. [3] The reduction of
amplitude, for a beam of radiation or other wave system incident on
a discontinuity in the medium through which it is propagated, or in
the path along which it is transmitted. [4] In a medium, the
natural logarithm of the ratio of incident and emergent energy or
amplitude for a beam of radiation passing through unit thickness of
a medium. Also see acoustic absorption coefficient
13. absorption discontinuity: See absorption edge absorption
dynamometer: A dynamometer which absorbs and dissipates the power
which it measures, e.g., the ordinary rope brake and the Froude
hydraulic brake. absorption edge: The wavelength at which there is
an abrupt discontinuity in the intensity of an absorption spectrum
for electromagnetic waves, giving the appearance of a sharp edge in
its photograph. The transition is due to one particular
energy-dissipating process. absorption factor: See acoustic
absorption factor absorption hygrometer: An instrument by which the
quantity of water vapor in air may be measured. absorption
inductor: See interphase transformer absorption lines: Dark lines
in a continuous spectrum caused by absorption by a gaseous element.
The positions (i.e., wavelengths) of the dark absorption lines are
identical to those of the bright lines given by the same element in
emission. absorption nebula: See dark nebula absorption plant:
Plant where oils are removed from natural gas by absorption in
suitable oil. absorption refrigerator:
14. [1] A plant in which ammonia is continuously evaporated
from an aqueous solution under pressure, condensed, allowed to
evaporate, and then reabsorbed. [2] A refrigerator which creates
low temperatures by using the cooling effect formed when a
refrigerant is absorbed by chemical substance. absorption spectrum:
The system of absorption bands or lines seen when a selectively
absorbing substance is placed between a source of white light and a
spectroscope. absorption wavemeter: A wavemeter which depends on a
resonance absorption in a tuned circuit, constructed with very
stable inductance and capacitance. absorptive power: See
absorptance absorptivity: See absorptance ABS override button: A
button or switch which disengages the automatic anti-lock braking
system so that the driver can operate the brakes himself. ABS relay
valve: An electrically controlled valve which modulates the air
pressure in the ABS. abundance: See relative abundance frequency
abundance ratio: For a naturally occurring element, the proportion
or percentage of one isotope to the total. abundant number:
15. A natural number for which the sum of the proper factors is
greater than the number itself, e.g., 18 is abundant since
1+2+3+6+9>18. Compare deficient number and perfect number. abut:
The action of two gear teeth making contact. abutment: [1] A part
which stops the motion of another part from proceeding any farther.
[2] A cement raised shoulder secured to the side of the road to
prevent a vehicle from going over the edge. [3] The contact made
between opposing teeth of two gears. abutment load: In stopping or
other deep-level excavation, weight transferred to the adjacent
solid rock by unsupported roof. abutting edge: The side or edge of
a panel which joins another panel. abutting joint: a timber joint
whose plane is at right angles to the fibers, the fibers of both
joining pieces being in the same straight line. ABV: Acronym for
"air bypass valve". abyssal: term describing the ocean floor
environment between ca4000 and 6000 m. abyssal deposits: Pelagic
marine sediments, accumulating in depths of more than 2000 m
including, with increasing depth, calcareous oozes, siliceous oozes
and red clay (500 m).
16. abyssal plain: a flat region of the deep ocean floor with a
slope of less than 1:1000. abyssopelagic: relating to the open
waters of the abyssal zone. A/C: [1] An abbreviation for air
conditioning or air conditioner. [2] An abbreviation for "across
corners" which indicates the distance on a nut (for instance) from
one corner to the opposite corner rather than the distance from one
flat surface (A/F) to the opposite (which would be the size of
wrench needed to install or remove the nut). The purpose of the A/C
dimension is to know how large a hole might be needed to insert a
recessed nut. AC: [1] A vehicle brand of which the 1925-48 models
are classic cars. [2] Acronym for "alternating current." [3]
Acronym for "air conditioning" or "air conditioner." [4] Symbol for
actinium [5] The transformation temperature on heating of the phase
changes of iron or steel, subscripts indicating the designated
change, e.g., Ac1 is the eutectoid (723C) and Ac3 the
ferrite/austenite phase boundary. AC-3: Trade name for the digital
audio coding used in 35 mm motion picture film to provide
six-channel surround sound. It uses data blocks recorded optically
between the perforations, leaving room for a conventional
soundtrack. It is also suitable for multi-channel TV audio, as well
as video software and home cinema. AC Ace: A vehicle brand of which
the 1954-61 Ace models are milestone cars.
17. AC Aceca: (pronounced ah-SEEK-uh) A vehicle brand of which
the 1955-61 Aceca models are milestone cars. acanthite: An ore of
silver, Ag2S, crystallizing in the monoclinic system. ACAP: Acronym
for "Associao do comrcio automovvel de Portugal". ac balancer: An
arrangement of transformers or reactors used to equalize the
voltages between the wires of a multiple-wire system. Also called
static balancer. ac bias: A high-frequency signal applied to a
magnetic tape recording head along with the signal to be recorded.
This stabilizes magnetic saturation and improves frequency
response, at the same time reducing noise and distortion. The bias
signal frequency has to be many times the highest recording
frequency. AC Buckland: A vehicle brand of which the 1949 Buckland
Open Tourer is a milestone car. ac-boundary layer: See stokes layer
acc:
18. Abbreviation for "accessories." ACC: [1] Acronym for
"Automatic Cruise Control." [2] A term found on a cruise control
switch which indicates the direction the switch needs to be moved
to increase the speed (accelerate) of the vehicle. ACCC: Acronym
for "air conditioner clutch compressor" signal. accelerate: [1] To
increase the speed of a vehicle. Opposite of decelerate. [2] To
accelerate an adhesive is to speed up a chemical reaction or a
curing process. For example, you can speed up the drying time of an
adhesive or sealer by increasing the temperature. Also, by adding a
chemical curing agent, or accelerator, to a base compound.
accelerated aging test: A stability test for cables using twice
normal working voltage. It is claimed this give quick results that
correlate with service records. accelerated fatigue test: Test
which applies a cyclic loading schedule, which can be of varying
frequency and/or amplitude, to a machine or component simulating
its loading in service, but at a higher rate, to determine its safe
fatigue life before it is reached in service. accelerate-stop
distance: The total distance, under specified conditions, in which
an aircraft can be brought to rest after accelerating to critical
speed for an engine failure at take-off. accelerating chain: The
section of an electron beam tube or system, e.g., cathode-ray tube
or electron microscope, in which electrons are accelerated by
voltages on accelerating electrodes. Also used in particle
accelerators.
19. accelerating electrode: An electrode in a thermionic valve
or cathode-ray tube maintained at a high positive potential with
respect to the electron source. It accelerates electrons in their
flight to the anode but does not collect a high proportion of them.
accelerating machine: See accelerator accelerating potential: The
potential applied to an electrode to accelerate electrons from a
cathode. accelerating-well ports: These ports prevent momentary
leanness during the period that occurs between the opening of the
air valve and the actual discharge of fuel from the secondary
nozzles. acceleration: The rate of change of velocity or speed.
Velocity is steady and is measured in distance per time (e.g., feet
per second, miles per hour, kilometers per hour). Acceleration
keeps increasing and is measured in velocity per time (e.g., feet
(or meters) per second per second or feet (or meters) per second
squared). It is a vector quantity and has both magnitude and
direction. Also see angular acceleration lateral acceleration
sluggish acceleration yaw acceleration acceleration due to gravity:
(g) Acceleration with which a body would fall freely under the
action of gravity in a vacuum. This varies according to the
distance from the Earth's center, but the internationally adopted
value is 9.80665ms-2. Also see Helmert's formula acceleration
enrichment:
20. The action of increasing the fuel/air mixture during
acceleration in order to improve the vehicle's speed and its smooth
response. acceleration error: The error in an airborne magnetic
compass due to maneuvering; caused by the vertical component of the
Earth's magnetic field when the center of gravity of the magnetic
element is displaced from normal. acceleration pump: See auxiliary
acceleration pump acceleration slip regulation: (ASR) The Bosch
term for traction control. acceleration stress: The influence of
acceleration (or deceleration) on certain physiological parameters
of the human body. Man can withstand transverse accelerations
better than longitudinal ones, which have a profound effect on the
cardiovascular system. The degree of tolerance also depends on the
magnitude and duration of the acceleration. acceleration tolerance:
The maximum acceleration force that a person can withstand before
"blacking out" or otherwise losing control. accelerator: [1] In
automobiles, this is the "gas pedal" which is attached by linkage
to the throttle in the carburetor or to the fuel injection system.
It regulates the amount of fuel which is sent to the engine. In
motorcycles, the accelerator is located on the right-hand twist
grip or an actuating lever. [2] A device, similar to a catapult,
but generally
21. mounted below deck level, for assisting the acceleration of
aircraft flying off aircraft carriers. Land versions have been
tried experimentally. [3] A chemical which is added to something to
make a process happen more quickly. For example, a chemical may be
added to paint to cause it to dry faster. The opposite is
"retarder." A material added to an adhesive to speed up its cure or
to chemically convert the whole mass to a solid. Accelerators
differ from catalysts in that they are a part of the chemical
reaction and lose their chemical identity as a result. [4] A
substance which increases the efficient action of an enzyme [5] Any
substance increasing the speed of the vulcanization process of
rubber. The principal types are aldehyde derivatives of Schiff's
bases: butyraladehyde-butylidene-aniline, di-orthotolyl-guanidine,
diphenyl-guanidine, benzthiazyl disulphide, tetramethyl-thiuran
disulphide and zinc dimethyl-dithiocarbamate. [6] A special circuit
board which is placed within a computer to speed up some aspect of
its operation. [7] Machine used to accelerate charged particles to
very high energies such as betatron, cyclotron, linear
22. accelerator, synchrocyclotron, and synchrotron. [8] A
chemical used to increase the rate of development, e.g., sodium
carbonate or borax [9] Any muscle or nerve which increases rate of
action. Also see depress the accelerator ease up on the accelerator
step on the accelerator take foot off the accelerator accelerator
board: A circuit board plugged into a computer motherboard to
increase the operating speed of a computer. accelerator interlock:
A connection between the gas pedal and the automatic transmission.
accelerator pedal: The accelerator, gas pedal, or throttle pedal.
accelerator pump: A small cylinder and piston usually located
inside the carburetor that sprays an extra amount of fuel into the
engine during acceleration. It improves acceleration by giving more
boost and reducing a momentary lag in power. It is actuated by
depressing the pedal. accelerometer: [1] A transducer used to
provide a signal proportional to the rate of acceleration of a
vibrating or other body, usually employing the piezoelectric
principle. [2] An instrument which measures the amount of
acceleration in a specific direction. Also see impact accelerometer
vertical-gust recorder
23. acceptable quality level: (AQL) A manufactured good that
may not be perfect but does reach a level of shape, size, and
performance, etc. that will make it work and last as long as the
manufacturer expects. acceptance angle: The solid angle within
which all incident light reaches the photocathode of a phototube.
acceptance test: An examination of a part or its assembly to
determine if it meets a prescribed standard. acceptor: [1] The
reactant in an induced reaction whose rate of reaction with a third
substance is increased by the presence of the inductor. [2] The
atom which accepts electrons in a co-ordinate bond. [3] Impurity
atoms introduced in small quantities into a crystaline
semiconductor and having a lower valency than the semiconductor,
from which they attract electrons. In this way holes are produced,
which effectively become positive charge carriers; the phenomenon
is known as p-type conductivity. Also see donor impurity acceptor
level: See energy levels access: A way of reaching something that
is usually hidden or covered. Also see access panel Access Cab: A
type of pickup truck (by Toyota) which as a second row of seating;
but unlike a crew cab (which has four full size doors) it has a
"half-door" that can be opened only after the main door is opened.
The seating is usually a
24. little more cramped than in a crew cab. Also called club
Cab, extended Cab, king Cab, xtracab, supercab, or cab Plus access
charge: A financial charge for access to a computer or
telecommunications network. access eye: A screwed plug provided in
soil, waste and drain pipes at bends and junctions, to clear a
stoppage. access hole: An opening through which you can reach
something. It is usually covered with a panel. accessible hermetic:
Assembly of motor and compressor inside a single bolted housing
unit. accessories: Items and packages of equipment which are beyond
the standard equipment supplied in a new vehicle. accessory: See
accessories accessory gearbox: A gearbox, driven remotely from an
aero-engine, on which aircraft accessories, e.g., hydraulic pump
and electrical generator, are mounted. accessory minerals: Minerals
which occur in small, often minute, amounts in igneous rocks; their
presence or absence makes no difference to classification and
nomenclature. accessory package:
25. A set of features or appointments which may be ordered at
extra cost on a new vehicle. accessory plates: Quartz-wedge, gypsum
plate and mica plate. Used with petrological microscope to help
determine the optical character of a mineral as an aid in its
examination. accessory shoe: A mounting bracket on the body of a
camera to which separate units such as a flash or range-finder may
be fitted. access panel: The cover which conceals the engine on a
mid-engine vehicle. Also called engine cover. Also see hood access
time: The time interval between the instant at which data are
called from memory and the instant at which the data can be used.
It can vary from microseconds with fast store to minutes with
magnetic tape. access to store: Entry or extraction of data from a
memory location. The method and speed of access depends on the type
of memory. Also see backing store fast store random access memory
serial access memory accident: See car accident accident damage:
The destruction caused to a vehicle's bodywork when it is involved
in an accident.
26. ac circuit: A circuit which passes alternating current as
opposed to direct current, e.g., it may have a capacitor in series,
which blocks direct current. ac commutator motor: An ac motor which
embodies a commutator as an essential part of its construction.
Also see ac series motor compensated induction motor repulsion
motor Schrage motor Accord: A model of automobile manufactured by
Honda . Click for books on Honda Accord accordion: The method of
folding a leaflet or insert so that it opens out and closes in a
zig-zag fashion. The British term is concertina fold. accretion:
[1] The process in which a celestial body, particularly an evolved
star in a binary system, is enlarged by the accumulation of
extraneous matter falling in under gravity [2] The process of
enlargement of a continent by the tectonic coalescences of exotic
crustal fragments. accretion disc: The disc of material at the edge
of a black hole, which has been attracted from a neighboring star
and which emits X-rays as its inner edge disappears into the
gravitational field of the hole.
27. accumulation point: A mathematical term which says that of
a set of points, one such that every neighborhood of it includes at
least one point of the set. accumulator: [1] A storage battery for
an electric car. [2] A pressurized container for an automatic
leveling suspension system. [3] A part of the hydraulic system
which is charged by the fluid pump, absorbs fluctuating fluid
delivery, stores fluid at pressure, and can provide a rapid flow of
fluid under pressure. [4] A vessel that stores hydraulic fluid
under pressure. [5] A storage tank which receives liquid
refrigerant from evaporator and prevents it from flowing into the
suction line before vaporizing. [6] A refrigerant storage device
used on General Motors and Ford systems that receives vapor and
liquid refrigerant from the evaporator. The accumulator, which
contains "desiccant," performs a function similar to that of a
receiver-drier: it separates liquid from the vapor, retains the
liquid and releases the vapor to the compressor. Always located on
the low side of the system. [7] A special storage register
associated with the arithmetic logic unit, used for holding the
results of a computation or data transfer Also see accumulator
piston fuel accumulator hydraulic accumulator pressure accumulator
accumulator battery: A storage battery (i.e., the main battery in
your vehicle). accumulator box: A vessel usually made of plastic
which contains the plates and electrolyte of an accumulator.
accumulator drier: A device which is part of the air conditioning
system. It is made up of a tank, filter, drying agent, and a vapor
return tube. It is usually found on the
28. evaporator outlet. It stores the excess refrigerant and
removes the moisture from the refrigerant (thus the name "drier").
Also see receiver drier accumulator grid: The lead grid which forms
one of the plates of a lead-acid accumulator having pasted plates.
accumulator piston: A unit found in the automatic transmission to
assist the servo to apply the brake band quickly and smoothly.
accumulator system: In an automatic transmission, it includes a
hydraulic accumulator piston which is controlled by a valve.
accumulator traction: See battery traction accumulator valve: A
device which operates the hydraulic accumulator piston in an
automatic transmission. accumulator vehicle: See battery traction
AC current sine wave: Wave form of single frequency alternating
current; wave whose displacement is sine of angle proportional to
time or distance. Ace: An American trucker's colloquial term for
someone with a class "A" licence. Also see AC Ace
29. ACEA: Acronym for "Association des Constructeurs europens
dAutomobiles" (i.e., European Automakers Association). Aceca: See
AC Aceca acet-: Prefix from the Latin acetum meaning vinegar.
acetate film: Film with its photographic emulsion coated on a base
of cellulose triacetate, of low flammability. aceto-: Prefix from
the Latin acetum meaning vinegar. acetylene: [1] Ethyne HCCH. A
colorless, poisonous gas, owing its disagreeable odor to
impurities; soluble in ethanol, in acetone (25 times its volume at
standard temperature and pressure) and in water. Boiling point
-84C, relative density 0.91. Prepared by the action of water on
calcium carbide and catalytically from naphtha. [2] A gas composed
of two parts of carbon and two parts of hydrogen. When burned in an
atmosphere of oxygen, it produces one of the highest flame
temperatures obtainable for welding. [3] Also used for
illuminating, acetic acid synthesis and for manufacturing
derivatives Also see oxygen acetylene cutting acetylene bottle: See
acetylene cylinder acetylene cutting: See oxygen acetylene
cutting
30. acetylene cylinder: A specially built container
manufactured according to I.C.C. Standards. Used to store and ship
acetylene. Also called acetylene tank or acetylene bottle acetylene
hose: A flexible medium used to carry gases from regulators to the
torch. It is made of fabric and rubber. acetylene regulator: An
automatic valve used to reduce acetylene cylinder pressures to
torch pressures and to keep the pressures constant. acetylene tank:
acetylene cylinder. acetyl group: Ethanoyl group CH3CO-. The
radical of acetic acid. aceval: Abbreviation for air combat
evaluation.
31. AC generator: [1] An electromagnetic generator for
producing alternating emf and delivering ac to an outside circuit.
[2] A generator produces direct current (DC) while an alternator
produces alternating current (AC). Because alternators were
introduced to automobile electrical systems after generators had
been in use for some time, some people referred to the new
alternator as "AC generator." ache: See head ache rack ache rack:
See head ache rack achromatic lens: A lens designed to minimize
chromatic aberration. The simplest form consists of two component
lenses, one convergent, the other divergent, made of glasses having
different dispersive powers, the ratio of their focal lengths being
equal to the ratio of the dispersive powers. achromatic prism: An
optical prism with a minimum of dispersion but a maximum of
deviation. achromatic sensation: A visual perception of grey.
Represented by the equal energy point on a chromaticity diagram.
achromatic stimulus: Stimulus which produces an achromatic
sensation. acid: Also see battery acid chromic acid
32. oxalic acid acid brittleness: The brittleness developed in
steel in pickling bath, through evolution of hydrogen. acid
condition in system: Condition in which refrigerant or oil in
system is mixed with fluids that are acid in nature. acid cure: In
extraction of uranium from its ores, lowering of gangue carbonates
by puddling with sulphuric acid before leach treatment. acid
deposition: Acid compounds emitted into the atmosphere which then
return to the surface either in the form in which they were
discharged or as new compounds formed by reaction in the
atmosphere. Includes dry deposition, usually of sulphur and
nitrogen oxides near the source, and wet deposition which follows
when acids are washed from the atmosphere by precipitation (i.e.,
acid rain and occult deposition. acid drift: The process by which
ores, pulps, and products become acidic through pick-up of
atmospheric oxygen through standing. acid dyes: Dyes which have
their color associated with the negative ion or radical. acid egg:
A pump for sulphuric acid, of simple and durable construction, with
few moving parts. The acid is run into a pressure vessel, usually
egg-shaped, from which it can be forcibly expelled by compressed
air. acid fixer: Fixing solution (hypo) with the addition of an
acid (sodium bisulphite or potassium metabisulphite) to prevent
staining.
33. acidizing: Improving the flow of oil from a limestone
formation by pumping acid into it. acid mine water: Water
containing sulphuric acid as a result of the breakdown of the
sulphide minerals in rocks. Acid mine water causes corrosion of
mining equipment, and may contaminate water supplies into which it
drains. acid process: [1] A steel-making process in which the
furnace is lined with a siliceous refractory, and for which iron
low in phosphorous is required, as this element is not removed. [2]
Any pulp digestion process utilizing an acid regent, e.g., a
bisulphite liquor with some free sulphur dioxide. acid rain: [1]
When the smoke created by factories and vehicle exhausts is taken
by the wind and joined with rain clouds, the mixture is often
acidic. As a result the rain that falls to the ground (and even on
your car) may damage whatever it strikes. [2] A form of wet
deposition in which acid molecules or particles in the atmosphere
are returned to the surface having been washed out by rain or snow
as it falls. The unnatural acidity (pH 3-5.5) is caused mainly by
the oxides of sulphur and nitrogen from the burning of coal and
oil. acid refractory: See silica acid resist foils: Blocking foils
for use in etching metal. The foil is stamped on to paper and the
excess foil blocked on to the metal rule or other object which is
then exposed to an acidic etching fluid such as ferric chloride.
acid rock:
34. An igneous rock with more than 63% quartz. acid slag:
Furnace slag in which silica and alumina exceed lime and magnesia.
acid smut: See acid soot acid soot: A pollutant, consisting of
particles of carbon bound together by water containing sulphuric
acid, formed as a by-product of the incomplete combustion of
carbon-based fuel. Also called acid smut. acid steel: Steel made by
an acid process. acid stop: Weak acid photography processing
solution used immediately after the developer to halt its chemical
activity and neutralize it before fixing. AC Ignition System: See
continuous AC Ignition System Ackermann: See Ackermann
steering
35. Ackermann steering: [1] A double-pivoting steering system
where the outer ends of the steering arms are bent slightly inward
so that when the vehicle is making a turn, the inside wheel will
turn more sharply than the outer wheel. This is done to compensate
for the greater distance the outside wheel must travel. Notice 20
degrees on left wheel and 30 degrees on right wheel [2] Arrangement
whereby a line extended from the track-arms, when the wheels are
set straight ahead, should meet on the chassis centerline at 2/3 of
the wheelbase from the front, allowing the inner stub-axle to move
through a greater angle than the outer. Ackermann angle: The
toe-out or toe-in of a vehicle with Ackermann steering when the
wheels are positioned straight ahead. Ackermann axle: In a vehicle
with Ackermann steering (at the front of the vehicle), it is a
non-rotating axle that is steerable and has two pivot points (one
on each end of the axle) with vertical kingpins. acknowledgement
signal: A signal transmitted along a circuit from B to A when
triggered by a signal from A to B. A-class insulation: Insulating
material which will withstand temperatures up to 105C. ACL BI-MET:
Acronym for "air cleaner bi-metal sensor". ACL DV: Acronym for "air
cleaner duct and valve vacuum" motor.
36. ACM: Abbreviation for Association for Computing Machinery,
a US professional association. ac magnet: Electromagnet excited by
alternating current having normally a laminated magnetic circuit.
Also see shaded pole acme screw-thread: A thread having a profile
angle of 29 and a flat crest and root, used for example for lathe
lead screw for easy engagement by a split nut. acmite: A variety of
aegirine; also used for the NaFe+3Si2 O6 end-member. ac motor: An
electric motor which operates from a single or polyphase
alternating current supply. Also see capacitor motor induction
motor synchronous motor acnode: See double point acoustic
absorption: Transfer of energy into thermal energy when sound is
incident at an interface. acoustic absorption coefficient: The
ratio of the acoustic energy absorbed by a surface to that which is
incident on the surface. For an open window this can be 1.00, for
painted plaster 0.02. The value varies with the frequency of the
incident sounds, e.g., for 2 cm glass fiber it is 0.04 at 125 Hz,
0.80 at 4000 Hz. Also called acoustic absorption factor.
37. acoustic absorption factor: The ratio of the acoustic
energy absorbed by a surface to that which is incident on the
surface. For an open window this can be 1.00, for painted plaster
0.02. The value varies with the frequency of the incident sounds,
e.g., for 2 cm glass fiber it is 0.04 at 125 Hz, 0.80 at 4000 Hz.
Also called acoustic absorption coefficient. acoustical inertia:
The quantity M, where M is the part of the acoustical reactance
which corresponds to the inductance of an electrical reactance: is
the pulstance, given by 2f is the frequency in hertz. Also called
acoustical mass. acoustical mass: The quantity M, where M is the
part of the acoustical reactance which corresponds to the
inductance of an electrical reactance: is the pulstance, given by
2f is the frequency in hertz. Also called acoustical inertia.
acoustical stiffness: For an enclosure of volume V, the quantity
given by S-pc/V, where c is velocity of propagation of sound and p
is density. It is assumed that the dimensions of the enclosure are
small compared with the sound wavelength and that the walls around
the volume do not deflect. acoustic amplifier: An amplifier of
mechanical vibrations. acoustic branch: A branch of the dispersion
curve (frequency against wavenumber q) for crystal lattice
vibrations for which is proportional to q for small q. For a
crystal containing n atoms per unit cell, the dispersion curve has
3n branches of which three are acoustic branches. The branches are
characterized by different patterns of movement of the atoms. Also
see optic branch acoustic center:
38. The effective source point of the spherically divergent
wave system observed at distinct points in the radiation field of
an acoustic transducer. acoustic compliance: The reciprocal of the
acoustic stiffness. acoustic construction: Building construction
which aims at the control of transmission of sound, or of
mechanical vibration giving rise to sound, particularly unwanted
noises. The parts of the structure are separated by air-spaces or
acoustic absorbing material and can be decoupled by the interposing
of springs. acoustic coupler: A device which enables a digital
signal to be transmitted over the telephone network using an
ordinary telephone handset. acoustic delay line: A device,
magnetostrictive or piezoelectric, e.g., a quartz bar or plate of
suitable geometry, which reflects an injected sound pulse many
times within the body. acoustic distortion: Distortion in
sound-reproducing systems. acoustic emission: Non-destructive
testing method of investigating deformation and failure processes
in materials by the signals generated when the elastic waves
released by them are detected at the materials' surfaces. acoustic
feedback: Instability or oscillation in a second reproduction
system caused by the microphone or pick-up receiving vibrations
from the loudspeaker. acoustic filter: Filter which uses tubes and
resonating boxes in shunt and series as reactance elements,
providing frequency cut-offs in acoustic wave
39. transmission, as in an electric wave filter. acoustic
grating: A diffraction grating for production of directive sound.
Spacings are much larger than in optical gratings due to the longer
wavelength of sound waves. Both transmission and reflection grating
are used. acoustic impedance: the complex ratio of sound pressure
on surface to sound flux through surface, having imaginary
(reactance) and real (resistance) components, respectively. Unit is
the acoustic ohm. acoustic interferometer: Instrument in which
measurements are made by study of interference pattern set up by
two sound or ultrasonic waves generated at the same source.
acoustic lens: A system of slats or disks to spread or converge
sound waves. acoustic microscope: Microscope based on acoustic
waves (longitudinal compressions and rarefactions of density) at
microwave frequencies the interaction of an acoustic wave with a
material is sensitive to its elastic properties. Images can be
created by modulating a display with the intensity received by a
detector/specimen system scanned synchronously (ultrasonic
imaging). Coupling between electrical signals and acoustic
vibrations exploits the piezoelectric effect. acoustic model: A
scale model of a room (e.g., concert hall) or structure which is
used to measure qualities important for architectural acoustics and
noise control (e.g., sound distribution). The scale is typically
between 1:10 and 1:20. In order to adjust the wavelength, the
frequency has to be increased by a factor of 10-20. acoustic
ohm:
40. Unit of acoustic resistance, reactance, and impedance,
equal to 105Pasm-3. acoustic perspective: The quality of depth and
localization inherent in a pair of ears, which is destroyed in a
single channel for sound reproduction. It is transferable with two
microphones and two telephone ear-receivers with matched channels,
and more adequately realized with three microphones and three
radiating receivers with three matched channels. acoustic plaster:
Rough or flocculent plaster which has good acoustic absorbing
properties and which can be used for covering walls. Added to the
mix is fine aluminum, which evolves gas on contact with water and
so aerates the mass. These tiny holes lower the acoustic impedance
and so reduce the reflection of incidence sound waves. acoustic
pressure: See sound pressure acoustic radiator: Device to generate
and radiate sound. The more common radiators are (1) vibrating
elastic systems (membrane, string, vocal cord) which cause a
fluctuating pressure in the surrounding medium; (2) electrically
driven membranes and plates (loudspeaker, sonar transducer); (3)
vortices in turbulent fluid flow. acoustic ratio: The ratio between
the directly radiated sound intensity from a source, at the ear of
a listener (or a microphone), and the intensity of the reverberant
sound in the enclosure. The ratio depends on the distance from the
source, the polar distribution of the radiated sound power, and the
period of reverberation of the enclosure. acoustic reactance: See
acoustic impedance acoustic resistance: See acoustic impedance
41. acoustic resonance: Enhancement of response to an acoustic
pressure of a frequency equal or close to the eigenfrequency of the
responding system. When a system is at resonance, the imaginary
part of its impedance is zero. Prominent in Helmholtz resonators,
organ, and other pipes and vibrating strings. acoustics: [1] The
science of sound waves including production and propagation
properties. [2] The characteristics of a room which determine the
quality of sound transmission inside. Also see architectural
acoustics atmospheric acoustics acoustic saturation: The aural
effectiveness of a source of sound amid other sounds; it is low for
a violin, but high for a triangle. The relative saturation of
instruments indicates the number required in an auditorium of given
acoustic properties. acoustic scattering: Irregular and
multi-directional reflection and diffraction of sound waves
produced by multiple reflecting surfaces the dimensions of which
are small compared to the wavelength; or by certain discontinuities
in the medium through which the wave is propagated. acoustic
spectrometer: An instrument designed to analyze a complex sound
signal into its wavelength components and measure their frequencies
and relative intensities. Also see real-time analyzer acoustic
spectrum: Graph showing frequency distribution of sound energy
emitted by source. acoustic streaming:
42. Generation of constant flows by a strong sound wave.
Acoustic streaming is a non-linear effect. It is responsible for
the motion of the light particles (lycopodium spores) in a Kundt's
tube. Also see quartz wind acoustic survey: Determination of the
porosity of a rock by measuring the time required for a sonic
impulse to travel through a given distance. acoustic suspension:
Sealed-cabinet system of loudspeakers in which the main restoring
force of the diaphragm is provided by the acoustic stiffness of the
enclosed air. acoustic telescope: An array of microphones. The
signals of the microphones are added with certain phase-delays so
as to generate desired directions. Also see directional microphone
acoustic tile: A tile made of soft, sound-absorbing substance.
acousto-optic modulator: A telecommunication device in which
acoustic waves in an optical medium from a grating used to diffract
an optical signal and thus effectively turn it on or off.
acquisition fee: A charge for processing a lease and is probably
not negotiable. On a shorter term lease, the acquisition fee can
have a large impact on the cost of the lease. ACR: Abbreviation for
approach control radar. acro-:
43. Prefix from Greek akros (), topmost, farthest, terminal.
Acrobat: Trade name for a computer application which converts text,
line drawings, and half-tones into a stream of alphanumeric text
while retaining the format of the original. Such a page description
file (PDF) is an extension of the Adobe PostScript language and can
be read by any type of computer. acronical rising: The rising of a
star at nightfall. acronical setting: The setting of a star at
nightfall. acronychal: British term for "acronical". across
corners: (A/C) The distance on a nut (for instance) from one corner
to the opposite corner rather than the distance from one flat
surface (A/F) to the opposite (which would be the size of wrench
needed to install or remove the nut). The purpose of the A/C
dimension is to know how large a hole might be needed to insert a
recessed nut. across flats: (A/F) The distance on a nut (for
instance) from one flat surface to the opposite flat surface, i.e.,
this is the size of the wrench needed to install or remove the nut.
Also see across corners. acroterium: A base or mounting on the apex
and/or extremities of a pediment, for the support of an ornamental
figure or statuary.
44. ACR tubing: Tubing used in air conditioners and
refrigerators. The ends are sealed to keep tubing clean and dry.
acrux: A bright white supergiant star in the constellation Crux. A
visual binary consisting of two spectroscopic binary components.
Distance 80 pc. Also called Alpha Crucis. acrylate: A polymer used
to strengthen rubber (e.g., ethyl acrylate). acrylic: A term
relating to a type of paint made by polymerizing acrylonitrile.
acrylic fibers: Continuous filaments or, more fibers from linear
polymers which are synthesized from several monomers containing at
least 85% by weight of acrylonitrile. acrylic finish: A final
coating of paint which uses acrylic paint, often where the pigment
and an acrylic paint are mixed together. Also see two-pack paint.
acrylic paint: A type of paint made by polymerizing acrylonitrile.
acrylic resin: A thermoplastic synthetic polymer made by
polymerizing an acrylic derivative such as acrylonitrile, acrylic
acid, ethyl acrylate, and methacrylate. It is used for adhesives,
protective coatings, and paint finishes. ACS:
45. [1] Abbreviation for active control system [2] Abbreviation
for attitude control system [3] Abbreviation for air conditioning
system . ac series motor: A series motor which operates from an ac
supply with laminated field construction and usually a compensating
winding. AC Shelby Cobra: A vehicle brand of which the 1962-67
Shelby Cobra models are milestone cars. ACT: [1] Acronym for "air
charge temperature." [2] Acronym for active control technology.
Also see active control system act: See Motor Vehicle Safety Act
acting: See double-acting dual-acting single-acting actinic
radiation: Ultraviolet waves, which have enhanced biological effect
by inducing chemical change; basis of the science of
photochemistry. actinic rays: Electromagnetic waves of wavelength
that can cause a latent image, potentially able to be developed, in
a photographic emulsion. They include an extension at each end of
the visible spectrum and X-rays. actino-:
46. Prefix from Greek aktis (). actinolite: A monoclinic
calcium magnesium iron member of the amphibole group, green in
color and usually showing an elongated or needle-like habit; occurs
in metamorphic and altered basic igneous rocks. action: [1] The
performance of a scene to be recorded on camera [2] The film record
of this performance as picture only, separate from the sound record
[3] The time integral of kinetic energy (E) of a conservative
dynamic system undergoing a change, given by this formula: Also see
capillary action caster action mist action oscillating action
parallel action locking pliers reciprocating action action brakes:
See servo action brakes action locking: See parallel action locking
pliers action locking pliers: See parallel action locking pliers
activate: To change an adhesive film from a dry or inactive state
to a useful, sticky state. activated: See cable activated activated
alumina:
47. Chemical which is a form of aluminum oxide. it is used as a
drier or desiccant. activated carbon: [1] A highly porous carbon
which is able to absorb gases and fluids. It is usually found in
small pellets so that the surface area is greater than a large
chunk of it. Also it has a number of pores on each pellet to
increase the surface area more. Thus the greater surface area means
greater ability to absorb. Used to clean air. Also called activated
charcoal. [2] Carbon obtained from vegetable matter by
carbonization in the absence of air, preferably in a vacuum.
Activated carbon has the property of absorbing large quantities of
gasses. Important for gas masks, adsorption of solvent vapors,
clarifying of liquids, and in medicine. activated carbon canister:
An automotive filter in which activated carbon has been placed so
that gas tank fuel vapors, which have accumulated when the vehicle
is not running, are trapped in the filter. When the engine is
running, hot air is forced into the filter and push out the vapors
into the engine. In this way, pollution is reduced and conservation
of the fuel is maintained. Also called activated charcoal trap or
charcoal canister. activated cathode: Emitter in thermionic devices
comprising a filament of basic tungsten metal, alloyed with
thorium, which is brought to the surface by process of activation,
such as heating without electric field. activated charcoal:
Charcoal treated with acid to increase its adsorptive power Also
see activated carbon charcoal activated charcoal trap: See
activated carbon canister activated sintering: Sintering of a
compact in the presence of a gaseous reactant. Also called reaction
sintering.
48. activating agent: See activator activation: [1] Alteration
of the surface of a metal to a chemically active state. Compare
passivation [2] Induction of radioactivity in otherwise
non-radioactive atoms, e.g., in a cyclotron or reactor. activation
cross-section: The effective cross-sectional area of a target
nucleus undergoing bombardment by e.g., neutrons for
radioactivation analysis. Measured in barns. Also see cross-section
activator: [1] A substance which is used to speed up the process of
curing a tire. [2] Surface-active chemical used in a flotation
process to increase the attraction to a specific mineral in an
aqueous pulp of collector ions from the ambient liquid and increase
in aerophilic quality. Also called activating agent. active array:
An antenna array in which the individual elements are separately
excited by integrated circuit or transistor amplifiers. active
braking time: The length of time (excluding the driver's reaction
time) a vehicle takes to come to a complete stop after the brakes
are applied. active component: The component of the vector
representing an alternating quantity which is in phase with some
reference vector; e.g., the active component of the current,
commonly called the active current. Also see
49. active current active voltage active volt-amperes active
control: Modern technique of noise or vibration control using one
or more sources that generate signals with the aim of making the
resulting total signal smaller. Used for example for the control of
low-frequency airborne noise and vibration of machinery. Also see
antisound active control system: (ACS) An advanced automatic flight
control system designed to provide several special features, for
example activation of flight control surfaces to minimize gust
loads and bending stresses in the wing by detection and response to
normal accelerations, provision of stability to a naturally
unstable aircraft and implementation of pilot maneuver demands. All
these characteristics improve aircraft behavior and performance,
but the active control system demands extensive integration between
aerodynamics, structure, and electronic system design to achieve
these advantages with reliability and safety. active current: The
component of a vector representing the ac in a circuit which is in
phase with the voltage of the circuit. The product of this and the
voltage gives power. active device: A component capable of
controlling voltages or currents, to produce gain or switching
action in a circuit, valves, diodes, and transistors, and
integrated circuits are all classed as active devices or
components. active electrode: The electrode of an electrical
precipitator which is kept at a high potential. Also called
discharge electrode.. active filter:
50. A filter which combines amplification with conventional
passive filter components (capacitance, inductance, resistance) to
enhance fixed or tunable passband or rejection characteristics.
active galaxy: A galaxy which emits unusually large amounts of
radiation from a compact central source, such as Seyfert galaxy, N
galaxy, quasar, or BL Lac object. active homing: A guidance system
where the missile contains the transmitter for illuminating the
target and the receiver for the reflected energy. active lattice:
The regular pattern of arrangement of fissionable and
non-fissionable materials in the core of a lattice reactor. active
lines: Lines which are effective in establishing a picture. active
material: In a storage battery, peroxide of lead (brown) in
positive plates and metallic lead (gray) in negative plates upon
which sulphuric acid acts. active materials: [1] General term for
essential materials required for the functioning of a device, e.g.,
iron or copper in a relay or machine, electrode materials in a
primary or secondary cell, emitting surface material in a valve, or
photocell, phosphorescent and fluorescent material forming a
phosphorescent and fluorescent material forming a phosphor in a
cathode-ray tube, or that on the signal plate of a TV camera. [2]
Term applied to all types of radioactive isotopes. active noise
control system: See anti-noise system active power:
51. The time average over one cycle of the instantaneous input
powers at the points of entry of a polyphase circuit. Also see
active volt-amperes active safety: The opposite of passive safety.
Passive safety involves seat belts, airbags, bumpers, etc. so that
in the event of an accident the passengers are protected. Active
safety involves factors which will assist the driver in avoiding an
accident. They include brakes, steering, handling response,
acceleration, etc. active satellite: A satellite equipped for
sending out probing signals and receiving returned information. A
passive satellite receives information only on the state of the
target. active sun: The Sun during periods of intense sunspot
activity. active suspension: While conventional suspension uses
springs and shock absorbers to isolate the vehicle from the
bouncing movement of the wheels when it contacts rough roads,
active suspension uses power actuators which are controlled by a
computer. These actuators place the wheels of the vehicle in the
best position to accommodate rough roads as well as compensate for
different load levels. active transducer: Any transducer in which
the applied power controls or modulates locally supplied power,
which becomes the transmitted signal, as in a modulator, a radio
transmitter or a carbon microphone. active voltage: The component
of a vector representing the voltage which is in phase with the
current in a circuit.
52. active volt-amperes: The product of the active voltage and
the amperes in a circuit, or of the active current (amperes) and
the voltage of the circuit; equal to the power in watts. Also
called active power. activities: See Kaizen Activities activity:
[1] The magnitude of the oscillations of a piezoelectric crystal
relative to the exciting voltage [2] The rate at which
transformations occur in a radionuclide. Unit is the becquerel Also
see catalytic activity low temperature activity specific activity
activity factor: See blade activity factor ac transformer: an
electromagnetic device which alters the voltage and current of an
ac supply in inverse ratio to one another. It has no moving parts
and is very efficient. ACTS: Acronym for "air charge temperature
sensor". actual cash value: (ACV) The amount of money a dealer has
invested in the purchase of a used vehicle and any additional costs
to repair the unit in order to get it ready for resale. actual
throat: A welding term which describes the distance from the face
of a weld to the root of the weld.
53. actuate: The action of bringing a part or assembly into
operation. actuating lever: A triggering device used to bring a
part or assembly into operation. actuating switch: A triggering
device used to bring a part or assembly into operation. actuation:
See variable valve actuation actuator: [1] A Device which controls
or operates another device. [2] The portion of a regulating valve
which converts mechanical fluid, thermal energy, or electrical
energy into mechanical motion to open or close the valve seats Also
see hydraulic actuators actuator arm: An arm connecting the
diaphragm to the contact breaker platform in an advance mechanism.
Also called diaphragm link.. Acura: A vehicle brand from the Honda
manufacturers . Click for books on Acura acutance: Objective
formulation of the sharpness of a photographic image, expressed as
where . "N" is the number of increments between "A" and "B", DB-DA
is the average gradient of density curve, and D/x is the maximum
gradient curve.
54. ACV: [1] Acronym for "actual cash value." [2] Acronym for
"air control valve" [3] Acronym for air cushion vehicle (i.e.,
hovercraft). ad: See classified ad A-D: Analogue-to-digital,
referring to the conversion of signals. adamantine: See lustre
adaptation layer: See ATM adaptation layer adapter: [1] A device
used to connect two different types or sizes of electrical
terminals [2] An arrangement for using types of photographic
material in a camera different from that for which it was designed;
e.g., filmpack in a plate camera, or a smaller plate than normal
[3] A device for the interchange of lenses between different types
of camera [4] A connector which links two items usually of
dissimilar structure or size. (Also spelled "adaptor") Also see bit
adapter bit adapter caliper mounting bracket carburetor adapter
engine adapter increasing adapter ratchet adapter reducing adapter
transmission adapter wheel adapter.
55. adaptive array: A radar antenna (either a phased array or
an active array) whose gain, directivity and side lobes can be
adjusted automatically to optimize the radar's performance under
specific operating conditions. adaptive control: The ability of a
control unit to adapt its closed-loop operation to changing
operating conditions -- such as engine wear, fuel quality or
altitude -- to maintain proper air-fuel mixture control, ignition
timing or idle rpm. Also referred to as self-learning. adaptive
differential pulse code modulation: A form of differential pulse
code modulation in which the basic step size is varied continually
to suit the rate of change of the signal. A further refinement is
to transmit only differences from a continually adjusted prediction
of the signal. These measures greatly reduce the required
bandwidth. adaptive radiation: Evolutionary diversification of
species from a common ancestral stock, filling available ecological
niches. Also called divergent adaptation. adaptor carburetor: A
device attached to a gasoline carburetor which permits an internal
combustion engine to run either on gas or liquefied petroleum gas
(LP gas). adapter plate: A plate which is placed between two
different parts in order to link them. (Also spelled "adaptor
plate") Also see transfer plate Adcock antenna: A directional
antenna consisting of pairs of vertical wires, spaced by one half
wavelength or less, and fed in phase opposition; a figure-of-eight
radiation pattern results, and arrays of Adcock antennas can be
used for direction-finding.
56. ADD: Acronym for "airstream direction detector" which is
used for aircraft stall protection. add-drop multiplexer: Equipment
used to add data originating from a particular source or group of
sources to a synchronous digital hierarchy data stream, or
conversely to extract data destined for a particular source or
group of sources. addendum: [1] The radial distance between the
major and pitch cylinders of an external thread. [2] The radial
distance between the minor and pitch cylinders of an internal
thread the height from the pitch circle to the tip of the tooth on
a gearwheel. addition agent: A substance added to the electrolyte
in an electro deposition process in order to improve the character
of the deposit formed. The agent does not take part in the main
electrochemical reaction. additive: A substance (liquid or powder)
which is added to gasoline or oil and is intended to improve the
characteristics of the original product. Also see anti-knock
additive fuel additive oil additive additive constant: A survey
term used in the computation of distance by tacheometric methods.
It is that length (usually constant and small) which must be added
to the product of staff intercept and multiplying constant to give
the true distance of the object. Also see anallatic lens
57. additive printer: Photographic or motion picture printer or
enlarger in which the intensity and color of the exposing light is
controlled by the separate variation of its red, green, and blue
components. additive process: Color reproduction in which the
picture is presented by the combination (addition) of red, green,
and blue light representing these three components in the original
subject; it is effectively obsolete for general photography and
cinematography but is the basis for color TV display. ADEFA:
Acronym for "Asociacion de Fabricas de Automotores" (Argentina).
adenine: (A) One of the five bases in nucleic acids. It pairs with
thymine in DNA and uracil in RNA. ADF: Abbreviation for automatic
direction finding. adhara: Avery bright blue-white giant star in
the constellation Canis Major, which is a visual binary. Distance
200 pc. Also called Epsilon Canis Majoris. adhere: To stick or be
glued to something. adherend: [1] Each surface that is to adhere to
another [2] A material which is bonded by an adhesive. adhesion:
[1] The force which causes two surfaces to adhere, the sticking
together of surfaces in contact with each other
58. [2] The bonding of materials with adhesives (glues,
cements, binders, etc), in which the intermolecular forces between
adhesive and adherend provide the bonds. [3] The intimate sticking
together of metallic surfaces under compressive stresses by bonds
which form as a function of stress, time, and temperature. The
speed of formation is related to dislocation, and may occur
virtually instantaneously under high shear stresses. Also see cold
welding [4] The ability of paint, primer, or glue to stick to the
surface to which it is applied. [5] The ability of a tire to grip
the surface of the road. [6] Mutual forces between two magnetic
bodies linked by magnetic flux, or between two charged
non-conducting bodies which keeps them in contact [7]
Intermolecular forces which hold matter together, particularly
closely contiguous surfaces of neighboring media, e.g., liquid in
contact with a solid. Also see intercoat adhesion failure limits of
adhesion adhesion failure: See intercoat adhesion failure adhesive:
[1] A substance (like glue) that is used to join two substances. An
adhesive must bond both mating surfaces through specific adhesion
(molecular attraction), through mechanical anchoring (by flowing
into holes in porous surfaces), or through fusion (partial solution
of both surfaces in the adhesive or its solvent vehicle). Various
descriptive adjectives are used with the term adhesive to indicate
types, such as: a. physical form liquid adhesive, film adhesive,
etc. b. composition resin adhesive, rubber adhesive, silicone
based, mastic, etc. c. end use metal-to-metal adhesive, plastic
adhesive, rubber adhesive d. application sprayable adhesive, hot
melt adhesive, etc.
59. [2] Agent for joining materials by adhesion, usually
polymeric material. May be based on thermoplastic resin (e.g.,
polystyrene cement) or thermoset (e.g., epoxy resin). Viscosity is
important for gap filling (high, as in epoxies) or surface
penetration (low, as in cyano-acrylates). Also called binder,
cement, or glue Also see automotive adhesive air drying adhesives
impact adhesive separate-application adhesive adhesive binding:
Unsewn binding in which the back of the sections are trimmed and
roughened before adhesive is applied to bind the leaves and the
cover. adhesive film: A thin layer of dried adhesive. Also
describes a class of adhesives provided in dry film form with or
without reinforcing fabric and which are cured by means of heat and
pressure. adhesive tape: A tape with a sticky substance on one
side. It usually comes in a roll of various widths. Sometimes used
to insulate electrical wires (e.g., electrical tape) or to wrap a
larger object (e.g., duct tape). Often the non-sticky side is shiny
(but not always). adhesive wear: Mechanism of wear due to the
welding together and subsequent shearing off of the contact areas
between two surfaces sliding over one another. adhesive weight:
Lead wheel weights which have a sticky backing. It comes in strips
and is applied to a wheel rim. Also called tape weight.. adiabatic:
A property of being able to maintain heat evenly. It does not gain
any heat or lose it. Also see
60. thermal efficiency adiabatic change: A change in the volume
and pressure of the contents of an enclosure without exchange of
heat between the enclosure and its surroundings. adiabatic
compression: Compressing refrigerant gas without removing or adding
heat. adiabatic curve: The curve obtained by plotting pressure
against volume in the adiabatic equation. adiabatic
demagnetization: A method of obtaining very low temperatures. A
paramagnetic salt is cooled to 1K by liquid helium. The salt is
magnetized under isothermal conditions and then magnetized under
adiabatic conditions. As a result the temperature falls.
Temperatures below 10-2K can be obtained this way. adiabatic
efficiency: [1] Of a steam engine or turbine, the ratio of the work
done per unit mass of steam to the available energy represented by
adiabatic heat drop. [2] Of a compressor, the ratio of that work
required to compress a gas adiabatically to the work actually done
by the compressor piston or impeller. adiabatic engine: An engine
which is very efficient in transferring combustion heat to those
parts of the engine which are being cooled by the flow of
anti-freeze coolant -- thus maintaining an even temperature of the
engine. In this way the engine is warm enough for efficient running
and it does not overheat. adiabatic equation: The equation PV =
constant, expressing the law of variation of pressure (P) with the
volume (V) of a gas during an adiabatic change, being the ratio of
the specific heat of the gas at constant pressure to that at
constant volume. The value of is approximately 1.4 for air at
standard temperature
61. and pressure. adiabatic expansion: An adiabatic change in
which a substance expands. adiabatic heating: Self-heating effect
which occurs in extruder or injection molding barrel from action of
rotating screw on polymer melt. Attributed to dissipation of
mechanical shear forces as heat. Important in injection molding of
rubbers. Also called shear heating. Also see damping adiabatic
lapse rate: The rate of decrease of temperature which occurs when a
parcel of air rises adiabatically through the atmosphere. adiabatic
process: A process which occurs without interchange of heat with
surroundings. adiactinic: Said of a substance which does not
transmit photochemically active radiation, e.g., safelights for
darkroom lamps. adinole: An argillaceous rock that has undergone
albitization during contact-metamorphism. adipo-: Prefix from Latin
adeps "fat". A-display: Co-ordinate display on a cathode-ray tube
in which a level time base represents distance and vertical
deflections of beam indicate echoes. adit:
62. A horizontal passage or tunnel into a mine. adjacent
channel: A channel whose frequency is immediately above or below
that of the required signal. adjust: The action of putting
something into its proper alignment or position. It may involve one
component (e.g., He adjusted the gasket to fit properly.) or a
series of components (e.g., He adjusted the poor idle -- might mean
he set the ignition timing, adjusted the carburetor screws, changed
the choke setting, cleaned or replaced the spark plugs, etc.) Also
see tweak adjustable: A characteristic of something that can be
changed, removed, or give different properties. Also see height
adjustable steering column adjustable bottom bracket: [1] A
component of a bicycle through which the crank fits. It has two
bearing cups on either side. One cup is fixed in place while the
other is removable or adjustable. [2] This is the older type of
bottom bracket before sealed cartridge bottom brackets became
prevalent. The adjustable bottom bracket requires fixed and
adjustable cup tools to properly tension the bearings. The bearings
are not sealed, but they're easily accessible for cleaning and
lubrication. Also see bottom bracket adjustable cup: The left-hand
cup in a bottom bracket of a bicycle, used in adjusting the bottom
bracket bearings and removed during bottom bracket overhaul. The
other cup is the fixed cup. adjustable off-idle air bleed:
63. Some emissions-era Rochester carburetors have a separate
air passage to bleed air past an adjustment screw into the idle
system. this screw is preset by the factory to produce precise
off-idle air/fuel mixture ratios to meet emission-control
requirements. adjustable part throttle: (APT) a supplementary
circuit on some carburetors that can be adjusted to control
part-throttle mixtures more accurately than a fixed orifice. The
APT detours around the main jet, going directly from the float bowl
to the discharge nozzle feed well. adjustable-pitch propeller: See
propeller adjustable-port proportioning valve: Air and fuel valves
for oil or gas burners, motor operated in unison by automatic
temperature-control equipment. adjustable rocker arm: A type of
rocker arm with an adjusting nut that can be tightened or loosened
to adjust valve lash. adjustable shock: See adjustable shocks
adjustable shock absorbers: Shocks with adjustable jounce and
rebound characteristics can be stiffened to compensate for wear or
to fine tune a suspension for a particular application such as
rough roads, heavy loads, or racing. adjustable shocks: Shock
absorbers which can compensate for varying needs of stiffness or
softness. Manual types (especially on motorcycles) require that you
physically make the adjustment from one level to another. Automatic
types are controlled by a computer as it senses particular changes
in road
64. condition. adjustable spanner: British term for adjustable
wrench. adjustable steering: See height adjustable steering column
adjustable steering column: See height adjustable steering column
adjustable variable exhaust port: A device used on two-stroke
engines which automatically alters or varies the exhaust port size.
adjustable wrench: A crescent wrench or pipe wrench. A tool which
has a fixed jaw and a movable jaw which is controlled by a spiral
gear. It is used to install or remove bolts and nuts of various
sizes. The wrench itself comes in a variety of lengths and jaw
sizes. A crescent wrench has smooth jaws while a pipe wrench has
serrated jaws. British term is "adjustable spanner." adjusted: See
factory adjusted adjuster: A device for moving something into the
correct position or into a different position such as a seat
adjuster. Also see automatic adjuster
65. automatic wear adjuster brake adjuster horizontal adjuster
jet adjuster ride-height adjuster adjuster cam: A device for moving
the shoes on drum brakes closer to the drum itself so that there is
less travel when the brakes are applied. adjusting: Also see
electrode adjusting tool headlight adjusting screw self-adjusting
adjusting gage: See adjusting gauge adjusting gauge: A tool used to
determine the small distance between two parts so that they c