Page 340 - Electromechanical Devices and Components Illustrated Sourcebook

302 Glossary

Q test point A terminal in a circuit for the express purpose of
Q Abbreviation for electrical charge testing
thermostat An adjustable switch that activates in reference
R to temperature
reactor A magnetic device designed to introduce resistance toggle switch A switch with a cylindrical actuator which is
reed switch A switch constructed from two flexible metal flipped from one position to the other
strips transformer A device that is intended to change the voltage
regulator A device designed to produce a fixed voltage of an AC signal
output trickle charger A charger that is intended to provide a
relay A switch that is activated with a solenoid low-charge rate
resistance The opposition to electric flow
resistance bridge A device that is intended to adjust the U
resistance in a circuit uhf Abbreviation for ultra high frequency
RF Abbreviation for radio frequency
V
S V Abbreviation for volts
saturable core An iron core that can be fully charged with vacuum The absents of any gas
a magnetic signal vacuum envelope The vessel used to contain a vacuum
SCR Abbreviation for silicon controlled rectifier vacuum tube An electronic device which utilizes and
secondary winding The output winding of a transformer manipulates the free flow of electrons
shield A grounded conductor protecting a circuit from stray vhf Abbreviation for very high frequency
signals volts The unit of measure for electromotive force
shunt A device that is intended to carry high-current loads voltage divider A resistance circuit that is used to extract
shunt wound motor A DC motor with an electromagnet lower voltages from a high-voltage source
field voltage regulator A device that is intended to produce a
sine wave An AC signal that is expressed as a sine of a fixed voltage output
linear function of time Vtvm Abbreviation for vacuum tube voltmeter
solar cell photo cell VU Abbreviation for volume unit
solenoid A coil with a moving iron core
spark gap Two points intended to support an electrical W
spark W Abbreviation for watt
speaker Loudspeaker watt Unit of measure for electrical power
spot welding The joining of two metal plates via an Western Union Joint A procedure of splicing solid
electrical pulse wire
standard cell A special battery that serves as a reference Wheatstone bridge An arrangement of resistive elements
voltage that produce a null reading
standard resistor A special resistor that serves as a wiper The moving element on a potentiometer
reference resistance wire wound resistor A resistor made from a coil of
strain gauge A device whose electrical resistance changes wire
proportionally as force is applied
switch A device intended to interrupt a circuit X
Xenon A rare earth gas
T Xenon flash tube An arc discharge tube with xenon
tachometer An electrical device used to measure atmosphere
revolutions
telegraph An early communication system that utilized Y
dots and dashes Yagi antenna A type of directional antenna
telephone A hard wired, voice communication system yoke A coil used to deflect an electron beam
terminal A point at which a wire can be connected to a
circuit Z
terminal block A series of terminals arranged at a single Zener diode A type of diode that is used as a voltage
location regulator
terminal strip A series of terminals arranged in a straight zero crossing The point where there is zero voltage during
line an AC cycle