Glossary
- Page ID
- 55026
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| (Eg. "Genetic, Hereditary, DNA ...") | (Eg. "Relating to genes or heredity") |  |
The infamous double helix | https://bio.libretexts.org/ | CC-BY-SA; Delmar Larsen |
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Word(s) |
Definition |
Image | Caption | Link | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abacus | Calculator based on stones moving on rods or in grooves | ||||
| Aberration | A departure from the normal operation of a device or an optical element | ||||
| Acoustic | Science of sound | ||||
| Accuracy | Proximity to true value. Accuracy is a consistent error from true value, but it is not necessarily a good or precise error. | ||||
| Adjacent side | In a right triangle, the side between a given angle and the right angle | ||||
| Ailerons | The small flaps on the back of wings on airplanes | ||||
| Allotrope | Different forms of the same chemical element. Some allotropes of carbon are graphite, graphene, diamond, and buckyballs. | ||||
| Angle of depression | The angle between the horizontal and the line from the object to the observer’s eye, assuming the object is positioned lower than the observer | ||||
| Angle of elevation | The angle between the horizontal and the line from the object to the observer’s eye, assuming the object is positioned higher than the observer | ||||
| ANOVA | Analysis of variance (ANOVA) is statistical models for estimations | ||||
| Antiderivative | The opposite of a derivative which leads to a indefinite integral. Through the fundamental theorem of calculus an antiderivative can be made into a definite integral. | ||||
| Apatite | A mineral group that consists of calcium phosophate minerals | ||||
| Arc length | The arc length of a curve can be thought of as the distance a person would travel along the path of the curve | ||||
| Arithmetic sequence | A sequence in which the difference between every pair of consecutive terms is the same is called an arithmetic sequence. | ||||
| Aspheric | Slightly off from spherical (usually used to correct spherical aberration) | ||||
| AFM | Atomic force microscope is a microscope that uses a cantilever with a nanometer-size tip to "feel" the surface of the specimen. AFMs can "see" in the nanometer realm and has many different interchangable probes to investigate many different properties. | ||||
| Bandgap | The gap in insulators and semiconductors between the valance band (the nucleus energy area) and the conduction bands (the electron shell energy area). Note: This is actually more complex than this. | ||||
| Bellows | A device that has a bag and two flats plates that is used to squeeze air out at a fast pace for various purposes. Also, flexible structures that expand and compress for various purposes. | ||||
| Binomial series | A series given by \( (1+x)^r=\sum_{n=0}^∞(^r_n)x^n=1+rx+\dfrac{r(r−1)}{2!}x^2+⋯+\dfrac{r(r−1)⋯(r−n+1)}{n!}x^n+⋯\) for \( |x|<1\); from the Maclaurin series for \( f(x)=(1+x)^r\) | ||||
| Boat keel | The long structure directly on the bottom of a boat that is used to support the hull. Can have hydrodynamics purpose or counterbalance purpose as well as support purpose. | ||||
| Bounded above (sequences) | A sequence \(\displaystyle {a_n}\) is bounded above if there exists a constant \(\displaystyle M\) such that \(\displaystyle a_n≤M\) for all positive integers \(\displaystyle n\) | ||||
| Bounded below (sequences) | A sequence \(\displaystyle {a_n}\) is bounded below if there exists a constant \(\displaystyle M\) such that \(\displaystyle M≤a_n\) for all positive integers \(\displaystyle n\) | ||||
| Bounded sequence | A sequence \(\displaystyle {a_n}\) is bounded if there exists a constant \(\displaystyle M\) such that \(\displaystyle |a_n|≤M\) for all positive integers \(\displaystyle n\) | ||||
| Catenary | A curve in the shape of the function \(y=a\cdot\cosh(x/a)\) is a catenary; a cable of uniform density suspended between two supports assumes the shape of a catenary. Catenary comes from the Latin word meaning "chain" as a catenary is often observed with free hanging chains. In engineering a catenary arch is known to be a strong self sustaining structure. |  |
An electric wire between two poles is a catenary. | ||
| Center of mass | The point at which the total mass of the system could be concentrated without changing the moment | ||||
| Centroid | The centroid of a region is the geometric center of the region; laminas are often represented by regions in the plane; if the lamina has a constant density, the center of mass of the lamina depends only on the shape of the corresponding planar region; in this case, the center of mass of the lamina corresponds to the centroid of the representative region | ||||
| Ceramic | Hard brittle material made from inorganic substances and metals. Typically non-conductive, heat resistant, chemical resistant, and corrosion resistant | ||||
| Change of variables | The process in mathematics of substituting variables with another expression to simplify a problem. | ||||
| Cipher | Encoded words to make a message secret. Used is "spycraft". Evidence of using ciphers first appear in antiquity (Ancient Egypt, Ancient Greece, Ancient Rome) | ||||
| Codex | A manuscript usually hand written and on material other then paper | ||||
| Cold finger | A strip of metal intended to transfer temperature from a cold plate to a device like a detector | ||||
| Confidence Interval | A range of values that represents the confidence of a true value that is a function of one variable (kinda like an error bar) | ||||
| Confidence Contour | A contour that represents the confidence of a true value that is a function of two or more variables (kinda like a 3D error bar) | ||||
| Contour | Contour lines (isoline or isoarithm) which represent the path of a constant value | ||||
| Convergence of a series | A series converges if the sequence of partial sums for that series converges. | ||||
| Convergent sequence | A convergent sequence is a sequence \(\displaystyle {a_n}\) for which there exists a real number \(\displaystyle L\) such that \(\displaystyle a_n\) is arbitrarily close to \(\displaystyle L\) as long as \(\displaystyle n\) is sufficiently large | ||||
| Cryocooler | A mechanical cooling system that goes to cryogenic temperatures | ||||
| Cryostat | Cooling system that goes to cryogenic temperatures by means of a cryogenic liquid (LH or LHe) | ||||
| Cryogenic temperature | Temperatures below 124 K, though in practical terms it is usually 77K and below | ||||
| Cubit | A length unit used in antiquity | ||||
| Demoiselle | An ultralight aircraft in the context of this book. Young lady in general terms. | ||||
| Density function (mass density) | A density function describes how mass is distributed throughout an object; it can be a linear density, expressed in terms of mass per unit length; an area density, expressed in terms of mass per unit area; or a volume density, expressed in terms of mass per unit volume; weight-density is also used to describe weight (rather than mass) per unit volume. | ||||
| Diffusion (physics) | Movement of particles to a high concentration area to a low concentration area | ||||
| Dirigible |
A rigid lighter-than-air aircraft that is steerable and powered by an engine. The Hindenburg was a dirigible. In contrast a Zeppelin is semi-rigid and a blimp is not rigid at all. So the Goodyear blimp is not a dirigible or Zeppelin. The dirigible was first demonstrated by a Brazilian in 1709. In 1785 a dirigible with bird-like steering and hand-powered propellors crossed the English channel with French balloonist Jean-Pierre-François Blanchard and American John Jeffries |
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| Divergence of a series | A series diverges if the sequence of partial sums for that series diverges. | ||||
| Divine Proportion | The Golden Ratio. This was detailed in the book illustrated by Leonardo da Vinci called "De Divina Proportione" by Luca Pacioli circa 1509. | ||||
| Ductile | The ease of which metal can be drawn out into a wire. Also, the degree to which a material can deform until failure. | ||||
| Dynamics | The study of objects in motion. This by its very nature suggests a study that is in the time domain. This differs from statics where time is not relevant. For fluids a hydro is attached to dynamics (hydrodynamics) but the idea is still the same. | ||||
| eBird | Citizen science site for bird observation. | ||||
| Electron microscope | Electron microscope is a microscope that uses electrons rather than light. Due to the wavelength of electrons, electron microscopes can "see" in the nanometer realm. | ||||
| Ethics | A philosophy that is based off human morals that attempts to define right and wrong or good and evil | ||||
| Frustum | A portion of a cone; a frustum is constructed by cutting the cone with a plane parallel to the base | ||||
| Geometric Sequence | A sequence an in which the ratio an+1/an is the same for all positive integers, n, is called a geometric sequence. | ||||
| Geometric series | A geometric series is a series that can be written in the form \(\displaystyle \sum_{n=1}^∞ ar^{n−1}=a+ar+ar^2+ar^3+⋯\) | ||||
| Getter | Substance that absorbs unwanted residuals (like water) in a vacuum | ||||
| Glassy carbon | A carbon solid that has a glassy appearance that is also known as vitreous carbon | ||||
| Golden Ratio | A golden ratio is a ratio of two quantities, say a and b, that are equal to the ratio of the larger quantity and the sum of the quantities. It is said that this ratio defines a unique natural structure and hence it is sometimes called the divine proportion. Interestingly this quantity is used in numerical methods. | ||||
| Handle (computer science) | Abstract reference to a resources (similar to a pointer, but not). A pointer is an address to a resource, normally data, where as a handle references functions. | ||||
| Harmonic series | A geometric series is a series that can be written in the form \(\displaystyle \sum_{n=1}^∞ ar^{n−1}=a+ar+ar^2+ar^3+⋯\). This series is interesting in that it diverges albeit rather slowly. | ||||
| Hydrophilic | Tends to mix, dissolve, or be wetted in water | ||||
| Hydrophobic | Tends to repel water | ||||
| Hydrostatic pressure | The pressure exerted by water on a submerged object | ||||
| Hydroxyapatite | A phosphate material that forms bones and teeth but is rarely found in rocks | ||||
| Hypotenuse | The side of a right triangle opposite the right angle | ||||
| Incompressible (fluid) | A fluid that does not diverge but is the same density throughout the system | ||||
| Indeterminate forms | When evaluating a limit, the forms \(\dfrac{0}{0}\), \(∞/∞, 0⋅∞, ∞−∞, 0^0, ∞^0\), and \(1^∞\) are considered indeterminate because further analysis is required to determine whether the limit exists and, if so, what its value is. | ||||
| Indefinite integral | A primitive integral or an integral without an upper and lower limit. Sort of like a definition of a specific integral. | ||||
| Index of refraction | A unitless number that describes the speed of light in a material. | ||||
| Infinite series | An infinite series is an expression of the form \(\displaystyle a_1+a_2+a_3+⋯=\sum_{n=1}^∞ a_n\) | ||||
| Inflection point | If f(x) is continuous at c and f(x) changes concavity at c, the point (c, f(c)) is an inflection point of f | ||||
| Integral |
Integral has a number of meanings in mathematics, but they all relate to the standard definition of integral: the sum of the necessary parts that creates a whole. This leads to the most common use of integral in mathematics which is the sum of infinitesimal areas within a range. |
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| Integration by substitution | A technique for integration that allows integration of functions that are the result of a chain-rule derivative | ||||
| Interval of convergence | The set of real numbers, x, for which a power series converges | ||||
| Iso | Equal as in equal temperature in isothermal, etc. | ||||
| Iterative process | Process in which a list of numbers x0, x1, x2, x3, … is generated by starting with a number x0 and defining xn=F(xn−1) for n≥1 | ||||
| Jerk | Change of acceleration with respect to time. The names implies jerk as the feeling of being thrust suddenly in one direction. This is also sometimes called jolt (also aptly named). | ||||
| Kinetics | In mechanics the effects of force on a body and in chemistry the rate of reaction. Kinetics implies a dynamic situation (time varying). | ||||
| Koch curve | A fractal curve | ||||
| Lamina | A thin sheet of material; laminas are thin enough that, for mathematical purposes, they can be treated as if they are two-dimensional | ||||
| Limestone | Soft sedimentary rock made of calcium carbonate. Densities can vary from rather hard limestone to chalk like limestone. | ||||
| Mastaba | A tomb that has slanted sides and a flat roof; stone bench | ||||
| Metal | Crystal that conducts electricity and heat well. Ductile and malleable. Made of the metallic and semi-metallic elements. | ||||
| Method of cylindrical shells | A method of calculating the volume of a solid of revolution by dividing the solid into nested cylindrical shells; this method is different from the methods of disks or washers in that we integrate with respect to the opposite variable. | ||||
| Nabla | An ancient stringed harp | ||||
| Newton’s method | Method for approximating roots of \(f(x)=0;\) using an initial guess \(x_0\); each subsequent approximation is defined by the equation \(x_n=x_{n−1}−\frac{f(x_{n−1})}{f'(x_{n−1})}\) | ||||
| Nonelementary integral | An integral for which the antiderivative of the integrand cannot be expressed as an elementary function | ||||
| Ostracon | A piece of pottery or stone that has writings scratch on it. | ||||
| Partial sum | The kth partial sum of the infinite series \(\displaystyle \sum^∞_{n=1}a_n\) is the finite sum \(\displaystyle S_k=\sum_{n=1}^ka_n=a_1+a_2+a_3+⋯+a_k\) | ||||
| Periodic function | A function is periodic if it has a repeating pattern as the values of \(x\) move from left to right | ||||
| Phase change | Change for one state of matter to another state of matter through "symmetry breaking" (except in some iso instances) | ||||
| Polymer | Materials made of large molecules that are made of many subunits like DNA. Organic. Usually flexible. | ||||
| Portmanteau | A combination word | ||||
| Power series | A series of the form \(\displaystyle \sum_{n=0}^∞c_nx^n\) is a power series centered at \(x=0\); a series of the form \(\displaystyle \sum_{n=0}^∞c_n(x−a)^n\) is a power series centered at \(x=a\) | ||||
| Precision | A consistent result with a small error, but not necessarily anywhere near a true value | ||||
| Principle of least action | A variation principle that is used to derive the equation of motions. It has nothing to do with the general accepted meaning of action or least action. | ||||
| Probability Distribution Function (PDF) |
This is a general term that describe the probability distribution of a system or experiment. There are three types of probability distribution functions:
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| Pseudocode | A plain language text of an algorithm to be translated into a computer program with appropriate syntax. Useful for thinking out ideas before implementing them. | ||||
| QED | "Quad erat demonstrandum." Sometimes hollow square ◻ is used for this. Sometimes a filled in square is used ◼. These squares are sometimes referred to as a tombstone. | ||||
| Quadrature | Integration | ||||
| Quarks | Elementary particle that make up protons and neutrons | ||||
| Radians | For a circular arc of length \(s\) on a circle of radius 1, the radian measure of the associated angle \(θ\) is \(s\). This contrasts to degrees where a full circle is 360 degrees but \(2 \pi \) radians. | ||||
| Radius of convergence | If there exists a real number \(R>0\) such that a power series centered at \(x=a\) converges for \(|x−a|<R\) and diverges for \(|x−a|>R\), then \(R\) is the radius of convergence; if the power series only converges at \(x=a\), the radius of convergence is \(R=0\); if the power series converges for all real numbers \(x\), the radius of convergence is \(R=∞\) | ||||
| Raman scattering | The basis of Raman spectroscopy which is the inelastic scattering of photons into a material. | ||||
| Raman spectroscopy | Uses Raman scattering to determine the vibrational modes of a material. This will allow not only an identification of a substance but what allotrope it might be as well. | ||||
| Read noise | The noise associated with reading an element of a detector. Includes all sources of noise but primarily due to ADC of a detector. | ||||
| Recurrence relation | A recurrence relation is a relationship in which a term an in a sequence is defined in terms of earlier terms in the sequence | ||||
| Recursion (computer) | A function that calls itself (typical example is a factorial) | ||||
| Regression | Statistical model comparing dependent variables with independent variables usually using a mean value and the actual value in some fashion | ||||
| Register (computer) | Quick memory usually associated with the CPU | ||||
| Regula Falsi | False position | ||||
| Sequence | An ordered list of numbers of the form a1,a2,a3,…is a sequence | ||||
| Small angle approximation | An approximation used extensively in engineering and physics. In this approximation when we have a small angle in our problem we can say that \( \cos(\theta)=1-\frac{\theta^2}{2} \) and/or \( \sin(\theta) = \theta \). | ||||
| Surface area | The surface area of a solid is the total area of the "skin" of the object; for objects such as bricks, the surface area of the object is the sum of the areas of all of its faces; for a sphere is the sum of infinitesimal area slices of the surface of the sphere. | ||||
| Telescoping series | A telescoping series is one in which most of the terms cancel in each of the partial sums | ||||
| Theorem of Pappus for volume | This theorem states that the volume of a solid of revolution formed by revolving a region around an external axis is equal to the area of the region multiplied by the distance traveled by the centroid of the region | ||||
| Theremin | A modern electronic instrument that does not require physical contact | ||||
| Tuples | Ordered set | ||||
| Unix | An operating system philosophy of modularity; also the operating system itself | ||||
| Variable | A representation of a changing value | ||||
| Vitreous | Substance that resembles glass | ||||
| Work | In science work is an energy transfer descriptor otherwise it means effort either physical or intellectually | ||||
| x-ray | x-radiation which is high energy radiation | ||||
| Yeast | A fungus that people use to make bread, beer, wine, and root beer among other uses | ||||
| Zooniverse | Citizen science web portal. Citizen science goes back to antiquity. Recently with the advent of computers and clouds citizen science has become more popular and important to science. |