18WuD2x

232 electrical engineer • electrical transducer
and distribution of electrical energy and the design
and application of electromechanical devices.
Compare ELECTRONICS ENGINEER.
electrical erosion In electrical contacts, the loss of
metal as a result of the evaporation or transfer of
metal during switching.
electrical filter A bandpass, band-rejection, highpass,
or low-pass filter that operates by electrical
means. Examples: Butterworth filter and Chebyshev
filter.
electrical forming See ELECTROFORM, 1.
electrical gearing In an electromechanical system,
such as a servo, the condition in which an
output shaft is electrically rotated at a speed different
from that of an input shaft.
electrical glass High-temperature insulating materials
made from glass fibers.
electrical inertia See INDUCTANCE.
electrical initiation 1. Starting an action (electrical
or nonelectrical) by means of an electrical signal.
2. Using an enabling pulse.
electrical instrument A device for measuring an
electrical quantity (such as voltage, current, or
power).
electrical interlock Also called an interlock switch
or door-interlock switch. A door- or lid-operated
switch connected in series with the power switch
of a piece of equipment. The interlock causes
power to be removed from internal circuits whenever
the door is opened, the lid lifted, or the case
removed. This minimizes the chance for electric
shock to occur to service personnel.
electrical length The length, in wavelengths, of an
antenna or transmission line. The electrical
length usually differs from the actual length because
of ground-capacitance effects, end effects,
and the speed of electromagnetic waves in conductors
and/or dielectrics.
electrical load A device connected to a source of
electricity (generator, amplifier, network, etc.) for
a useful purpose (heat, work, etc.).
electrically connected Connected via direct path,
such as through a wire, resistance, inductance,
or capacitance.
electrically erasable PROM A programmable
read-only memory (PROM) that can be erased by
an electrical signal, rather than by exposure to
ultraviolet light. Also see PROM and ROM.
electrically variable capacitor See VOLTAGE-
VARIABLE CAPACITOR.
electrically variable inductor An inductor whose
value varies inversely with the amount of direct
current that is caused to flow through it or
through an auxiliary winding on the same core.
electrically variable resistor See VOLTAGE-
DEPENDENT RESISTOR.
electrical nature of matter The general behavior
of matter as a complex interplay of waves and
particles. Also see ELECTRON THEORY OF MAT-
TER, WAVE MECHANICS, and WAVE THEORY
OF MATTER.
electrical network A circuit containing two or
more components (including generators and
loads), usually arranged in some pattern.
electrical noise Extraneous currents and/or voltages
that interfere with desired electrical quantities.
Compare ACOUSTIC NOISE.
electrical polarity The distinct difference observable
in electrification, designated positive (or
plus) and negative (or minus). Negative electrification
is generally characterized by a surplus of
electrons; positive electrification is characterized
by a deficiency of electrons.
electrical quantity 1. See COULOMB and QUAN-
TITY, 3. 2. An electrical unit (e.g., AMPERE,
OHM, VOLT, and WATT).
electrical repulsion The mutual repulsion of bodies
or particles having similar electric charges.
Two positively charged objects will repel each
other, as will two negatively charged objects.
electrical reset An electromechanical device for
resetting a relay that ordinarily remains in the
position resulting from actuation.
electrical resistance The in-phase currentretarding
effect that all conductors exhibit to
some extent. Also see RESISTANCE.
electrical resistivity See RESISTIVITY.
electrical resolver A synchro whose rotor has two
perpendicular windings in addition to another
winding.
electrical scan A method of changing the orientation
of the major lobe of an antenna. The antenna
is kept physically stationary, but the phase/
amplitude relationships of the signals applied to
different driven elements are varied.
electrical sheet Sheet iron or steel used for motor
laminations.
electrical system 1. The overall configuration of
electrical elements for a set of apparatus. 2. The
wiring system that supplies power to a set of devices.
3. One of several methods of quantizing
electrical properties, such as METER-KILOGRAM-
SECOND (mks), CENTIMETER-GRAM-SECOND
(cgs) electromagnetic, cgs electrostatic, and the
INTERNATIONAL SYSTEM OF UNITS (SI).
electrical taste See GALVANIC TASTE.
electrical technology The theory and practical
application of electricity. Taught as a subengineering
major, usually in two-year colleges that
award the degree of Associate in Arts (AA) or Associate
in Science (AS).
electrical time constant For a torque motor, the
ratio of armature inductance to effective armature
resistance. Compare MECHANICAL TIME
CONSTANT.
electrical transcription 1. A phonograph record
made electrically, as opposed to one made mechanically.
2. A radio program in which such a
record is played. 3. Any direct mechanical or electrical
recording of an audio signal.
electrical transducer 1. A transducer that converts
a nonelectrical phenomenon into a proportional