DICTIONARY OF AUTOMOTIVE TERMS - Profile Pictures for ...

A petroleum-testing apparatus for determining the flash-point.
Abelian group:
A group in which the group operation is commutative. It is important in
the study of rings and vector spaces.
aberration:
[1] An apparent change of position of a heavenly body, due to the speed of
light having a finite ratio to the relative velocity of the source and the
observer.
[2] In an image-forming system, e.g., an optical or electronic lens, failure
to produce a true image, e.g., a point object as a point image. Geometrical
aberrations include spherical aberration, coma, astigmatism, curvature of
the field, and distortion.
See chromatic aberration
abhesive:
A substance which prevents two materials sticking together, e.g., Teflon ®
on frying pans.
ability:
ABL:
See
climbing ability
cold cranking ability
Acronym for "atmospheric boundary layer" panel.
ablation:
[1] Any one of the processes by which snow and ice are lost from a glacier,
mainly by melting and evaporation (sublimation).
[2] Removal of surface layers of a meteorite and tektites during flight.
ablative polymer:
A material which degrades controllably in an aggressive environment,
especially on re-entry space-craft. Extreme temperatures are reached on
heat shield, so it is protected with ablation shield made of e.g., silicone
polymer. The same principle is used in intumescent paints for fire