18WuD2x

millirutherford • minor lobe 449
millirutherford Abbreviation, mrd. A small unit of
radioactivity equal to 1000 disintegrations per
second; 1 mrd = 10 –3 (0.001) rutherford.
millisecond Abbreviation, ms or msec. A small
unit of time equal to 10 –3 (0.001) second.
millitorr Abbreviation, mT. An obsolete unit of low
pressure equal to 10 –3 (0.001) torr, or 0.133322
pascal. Also see TORRICELLI.
millivolt Abbreviation, mV. A unit of voltage equal
to 10 –3 (0.001) volt.
millivoltmeter A usually direct-reading instrument
for measuring low electric potential. Its
sensitivity is provided by a high-gain amplifier
operated ahead of the indicating meter.
millivolt potentiometer Abbreviation, MVP. A potentiometer-type
null instrument for accurately
measuring small direct-current voltages, such as
those delivered by a thermocouple. Also see PO-
TENTIOMETRIC VOLTMETER.
millivolts per meter Abbreviation, mV/m. A unit
of radio-frequency (RF) field strength. It refers to
the RF voltage (in millivolts) developed between
an antenna and ground, divided by the height (in
meters) of the antenna above ground. Compare
MICROVOLTS PER METER.
milliwatt Abbreviation, mW. A unit of power equal
to 10 –3 (0.001) watt.
milliwattmeter An instrument for measuring
power in milliwatts. Such instruments usually
obtain their sensitivity from a built-in preamplifier.
Mills cross A radio-telescope antenna, consisting
of two collinear or phased arrays with a common
intersecting lobe. The result is high resolution.
mil-spec security See LEVEL-3 SECURITY.
min 1. Abbreviation of MINIMUM. 2. Abbreviation
of MINUTE.
mineral An element or compound that occurs naturally
in the earth’s crust. Most minerals are
crystalline and many of these have found use in
electronics. Some have been produced artificially.
mineral oil A natural liquid insulant derived from
petroleum. Dielectric constant, 2.7 to 8.0. Power
factor, 0.08 to 0.2 percent at 1 kHz.
mineral-oil capacitor An oil capacitor whose paper
dielectric has been impregnated with mineral
oil, which is also the filler.
miniature Very small (smaller than midget and
larger than subminiature).
miniature cell An electrochemical cell of very
small size (e.g., a button cell of the kind used in
cameras and watches).
miniaturization The technology of minimizing the
physical size of a circuit or system, while maintaining
its ability to accomplish a given task.
minicalculator A pocket-size electronic calculator.
minicomputer General term for a computer that is
more sophisticated than a MICROCOMPUTER,
but less powerful than a MAINFRAME.
mini connector A jack or plug having two or three
conductors, and measuring 1 ⁄8 (0.125) inch in di-
ameter. It is commonly used with audio equipment.
minifloppy A smaller than standard flexible magnetic
disk (floppy).
minima Points along a curve at which a function
reaches a local minimum value. Also see MAXIMA
AND MINIMA.
y
minima
x
Local
minima
minimum Abbreviation, min. The smallest value in
a range or set. Also see MAXIMA AND MINIMA.
minimum detectable signal A signal whose intensity
is just higher than the threshold of detection.
minimum discernible signal Abbreviation, MDS.
The lowest input-signal amplitude that will produce
a discernible output signal in a radio receiver.
miniscope A very-small-sized, lightweight oscilloscope.
minitrack A system used to track an earth satellite,
using signals transmitted to the satellite by a
line of ground radio stations.
minometer A radioactivity-measuring instrument
composed of an ionization chamber and a string
galvanometer.
minor beats Secondary or extraneous beats produced
in a beat-note system, caused by various
sum and difference frequency byproducts of the
heterodyne process. Compare MAJOR BEATS.
minor bend A bend in a rectangular waveguide,
made without twisting.
minor cycle See WORD TIME.
minor face In a hexagonal quartz crystal, one of
the three smaller faces. Compare MAJOR FACE.
minority carrier The type of charge carrier present
in relatively small numbers in a processed semiconductor
material. Electrons are minority carriers
in p-type material; holes are minority carriers
in n-type material. Compare MAJORITY CAR-
RIER.
minor lobe In a directional antenna system, any
lobe other than the main lobe(s). Such a lobe represents
reduced sensitivity and/or power gain