Temperature coefficientA temperature coefficient describes the relative change of a physical property that is associated with a given change in temperature. For a property R that changes when the temperature changes by dT, the temperature coefficient α is defined by the following equation: Here α has the dimension of an inverse temperature and can be expressed e.g. in 1/K or K−1. If the temperature coefficient itself does not vary too much with temperature and , a linear approximation will be useful in estimating the value R of a property at a temperature T, given its value R0 at a reference temperature T0: where ΔT is the difference between T and T0.
Fundamental frequencyThe fundamental frequency, often referred to simply as the fundamental, is defined as the lowest frequency of a periodic waveform. In music, the fundamental is the musical pitch of a note that is perceived as the lowest partial present. In terms of a superposition of sinusoids, the fundamental frequency is the lowest frequency sinusoidal in the sum of harmonically related frequencies, or the frequency of the difference between adjacent frequencies. In some contexts, the fundamental is usually abbreviated as 0, indicating the lowest frequency counting from zero.
DebyeThe debye (symbol: D) (dɛˈbaɪ; dəˈbɛiə) is a CGS unit (a non-SI metric unit) of electric dipole moment named in honour of the physicist Peter J. W. Debye. It is defined as e-18 statcoulomb-centimeters. Historically the debye was defined as the dipole moment resulting from two charges of opposite sign but an equal magnitude of 10−10 statcoulomb (generally called e.s.u. (electrostatic unit) in older scientific literature), which were separated by 1 ångström. This gave a convenient unit for molecular dipole moments.
Magnetic vector potentialIn classical electromagnetism, magnetic vector potential (often called A) is the vector quantity defined so that its curl is equal to the magnetic field: . Together with the electric potential φ, the magnetic vector potential can be used to specify the electric field E as well. Therefore, many equations of electromagnetism can be written either in terms of the fields E and B, or equivalently in terms of the potentials φ and A. In more advanced theories such as quantum mechanics, most equations use potentials rather than fields.
Superposition principleThe superposition principle, also known as superposition property, states that, for all linear systems, the net response caused by two or more stimuli is the sum of the responses that would have been caused by each stimulus individually. So that if input A produces response X and input B produces response Y then input (A + B) produces response (X + Y). A function that satisfies the superposition principle is called a linear function. Superposition can be defined by two simpler properties: additivity and homogeneity for scalar a.
Linear rangeThe linear range is that range of input or output values for which an electronic amplifier produces an output signal that is a direct, linear function of the input signal. That is, the output can be represented by the equation: Output = Input × Gain When operating in the linear range, no clipping occurs. If an amplifier were perfectly linear, no distortion (harmonic distortion or intermodulation distortion) would occur (although random noise may still be introduced).
Electric fluxIn electromagnetism, electric flux is the measure of the electric field through a given surface, although an electric field in itself cannot flow. The electric field E can exert a force on an electric charge at any point in space. The electric field is the gradient of the potential. An electric charge, such as a single electron in space, has an electric field surrounding it. In pictorial form, this electric field is shown as a dot, the charge, radiating "lines of flux". These are called Gauss lines.
PermeancePermeance, in general, is the degree to which a material admits a flow of matter or energy. Permeance is usually represented by a curly capital P: . In electromagnetism, permeance is the inverse of reluctance. In a magnetic circuit, permeance is a measure of the quantity of magnetic flux for a number of current-turns. A magnetic circuit almost acts as though the flux is conducted, therefore permeance is larger for large cross-sections of a material and smaller for smaller cross section lengths.
Gauss (unit)The gauss, symbol G (sometimes Gs), is a unit of measurement of magnetic induction, also known as magnetic flux density. The unit is part of the Gaussian system of units, which inherited it from the older CGS-EMU system. It was named after the German mathematician and physicist Carl Friedrich Gauss in 1936. One gauss is defined as one maxwell per square centimetre. As the cgs system has been superseded by the International System of Units (SI), the use of the gauss has been deprecated by the standards bodies, but is still regularly used in various subfields of science.
Helmholtz coilA Helmholtz coil is a device for producing a region of nearly uniform magnetic field, named after the German physicist Hermann von Helmholtz. It consists of two electromagnets on the same axis, carrying an equal electric current in the same direction. Besides creating magnetic fields, Helmholtz coils are also used in scientific apparatus to cancel external magnetic fields, such as the Earth's magnetic field.
