18WuD2x

soldering gun • solution 641
typical soldering iron. The element is heated by
pressing a device similar to the trigger on a pistol.
soldering iron An electric or nonelectric tool having
a heated tip for melting solder.
solderless breadboard A foundation (see BREAD-
BOARD, 1) on which a circuit can be assembled
by plugging components into tiny jacks without
the use of solder.
solderless connection A connection between
leads, or between leads and terminals, accomplished
entirely through crimping, pinching,
splicing, or wire wrapping. Solder is not used.
Also see WIRE-WRAP CONNECTION.
solderless terminal A terminal to which a solderless
connection can be made. Also see WRAP
POST.
solenoid 1. A coil of wire having a single layer,
wound on a cylindrical form. 2. A multilayer coil
used as an electromagnet, and usually having a
straight, iron core.
solenoid
Metal
rod
solenoid switch A switch consisting of a solenoid
coil (see SOLENOID, 2) into which a core is pulled
by the magnetic field to close a pair of contacts.
solid 1. One of the states of matter. It is characterized
by a definite shape and volume, and by
atoms that maintain a fixed position, relative to
each other. Compare GAS, LIQUID, and PLASMA.
2. An enclosed, defined volume of three-dimensional
space. 3. In communications, descriptive
of error-free reception of a series of coded signals.
4. In printing and data transmission, a large
print area whose entire surface is of equal and
maximum intensity (of ink, light, or darkness).
solid angle Unit, steradian. The angle within the
apex of a cone formed by all line segments between
the center of a sphere and a defined circle
on the surface of the sphere.
solid circuit Any circuit consisting of a single piece
of hardware that is not normally separated into
smaller parts.
solid conductor See SOLID WIRE.
solid electrolyte A solid substance affording ionic
action similar to that in a liquid electrolyte.
solid electrolytic capacitor A capacitor using a
solid electrolyte.
solid ground See DIRECT GROUND.
solid-state Pertaining to devices and circuits in
which the flow of charge carriers (electrons and
holes) is controlled in specially prepared blocks,
wafers, rods, or disks of solid materials. Semiconductor
devices, such as transistors and integrated
circuits, are solid-state components.
solid-state battery An atomic battery consisting
essentially of a photovoltaic cell in combination
with a quantity of radioactive material, whose radiation
causes the cell to generate electricity.
solid-state camera A video camera device that
makes use of solid-state technology. The target is
a matrix of charge-coupled devices (CCDs). When
light strikes these devices, charge carriers are
separated in a manner similar to that in a photovoltaic
cell. The matrix is scanned according to a
particular scheme, and the voltages developed in
each CCD combine to produce the video signal
output.
solid-state capacitor See SOLID ELECTROLYTIC
CAPACITOR.
solid-state chronometer Any semiconductor device
to indicate or measure time.
solid-state circuit See MONOLITHIC INTE-
GRATED CIRCUIT.
solid-state lamp 1. See LIGHT-EMITTING DIODE.
2. See LASER DIODE. 3. See ELECTROLUMI-
NESCENT CELL.
solid-state maser A device, such as the ruby
maser, in which the stimulated medium is a solid
material.
solid-state photosensor A semiconductor photodiode
or phototransistor, as opposed to a phototube.
solid-state physics The branch of physics concerned
with the nature and applications of such
solids as electronic semiconductors.
solid-state relay 1. A sensitive relay consisting of
a conventional electromagnetic relay preceded by
a transistorized amplifier. 2. A completely electronic
relay (i.e., one without moving parts) in
which switching transistors provide the on and
off states. 3. See THYRISTOR.
solid-state thermometer An electronic thermometer
utilizing one or more solid-state components,
such as transistors, integrated circuits, or
thermistors.
solid-state thyratron See SILICON-CONTROL-LED
RECTIFIER and SILICON-CONTROLLED SWITCH.
solid-state tube A semiconductor device (diode,
rectifier, transistor, SCR, etc.) whose housing and
base allow it to replace directly an electron tube.
solid tantalum capacitor A capacitor using tantalum
as a solid electrolyte.
solid wire Wire consisting of a single strand of
metal. Compare STRANDED WIRE.
solute A substance that is dissolved in some other
substance. Also see SOLUTION, 1.
solution 1. A well-diffused mixture of two or more
substances. It can consist of a gas in a liquid, a
gas in a solid, a gas in a gas, a liquid in a solid, or