MCGRAW-Hill
`
`ICIIONARY Of
`
`ClfNllflC AND
`
`IICHNICAl
`
`fRMS
`
`fifth Idition
`
`
`Sybil P. Parker
`Editor in Chief
`
`McGraw-Hill, Inc.
`
`San Francisco Washington, D.C.
`
`New York
`Lisbon
`London
`Madrid
`Caracas
`Bogota
`New Delhi
`San Juan
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`
`Milan
`
`Mexico City
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`Auckland
`Montreal
`
`

`
`Included in this Dictionary are definitions which have been published previously in the following works; P. B.
`Jordain, Condensed Compuler Encyclopedia, Copyright © 1969 by McGraw·Hill, Inc. All rights reserved. J.
`Markus, Electronics and Nucleonics Dictionary, 4th ed., Copyright © 1960, 1966, 1978 by McGraw-Hill, Inc,
`All rights reserved, j, Quick, Artists' and Illustrators' Encyclopedia, Copyright © 1969 by McGraw-Hill, Inc. All
`rights reserved. Blakiston's Gould Medical Dictionary, 3d ed., Copyright © 1956, 1972 by McGraw-Hili, Inc, All
`rights reserved. T. Baumeister and L. S. Marks, eds" Standard Handbook for Mechanical Engineers, 7th ed.,
`Copyright © 1958, 1967 by McGraw-Hill, Inc. All rights reserved.
`
`In addition, material has been drawn from the following references: R, E. Huschke, Glossary of Meleorology,
`American Meteorological Society, 1959; U,S. Air Force Glossary of Standardized Terms, AF Manual II-I. vol.
`I, 1972; Communications-Electronics Termin%gy, AF Manual 11·1, vol. 3, 1970; W, H. Allen, ed., Dictionary
`of Technical Terms for Aerospace Use, 1st ed., National Aeronautics and Space Administration, 1965; J, M.
`Gilliland, Solar-Terrestrial Physics: A Glossary ofTerms and Abbreviations, Royal Aircraft Establishment Tech­
`nical Report 67158, 1967; Glossary ofAir Traffic Control Terms, Federal Aviation Agency; A Glossary ofRange
`Terminology, White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico, National Bureau of Standards, AD 467-424; A DOD
`Glossary ofMapping, Charting and Geodetic Terms, 1st ed., Department of Defense, 1967; P. W. Thrush, comp,
`and ed., A Dictionary ofMining, Mineral, andRelatedTerms, Bureau of Mines, 1968; Nuclear Terms: A Glossary,
`2d ed., Atomic Energy Commission; F. Casey, ed" Compilation of Terms in Information Sciences Technology,
`Federal Council for Science and TeChnology, 1970; GlossaryofStinfo Terminology, Office of Aerospace Research,
`U.S. Air Force, 1963; Naval Dictionary ofElectronic, Technical, and Imperative Terms, Bureau of Naval Person­
`nel, 1962; ADP Glossary, Department of the Navy, NAVSO P-3097.
`
`McGRAW-HILL DICTIONARY OF SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNICAL TERMS,
`Fifth Edition
`Copyright © 1994, 1989, 1984, 1978, 1976, 1974 by McGraw-Hili, Inc. All rights reserved. Printed in the United
`States of America. Except as permilled under the United States Copyright Act of 1976, no part of this publication
`may be reproduced or distributed in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without
`the prior wrillen permission of the publisher,
`
`234567890
`
`DOW/DOW
`
`9987654
`
`ISBN 0-07-042333-4
`
`Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
`
`McGraw-Hili dictionary of scientific and technical terms I
`Sybil P. Parker, editor in chieL-5th ed.
`p.
`cm.
`ISBN 0-07-042333-4
`I. Science-Dictionaries. 2. Technology-Dictionaries.
`I. Parker, Sybil P.
`Q 123.M34 1993
`503-dc20
`
`93-34772
`CIP
`
`INTERNATIONAL EDITION
`
`Copyright © 1994. Exclusive rights by McGraw-Hill, Inc, for manufacture and export. This book cannot be re­
`exported from the country to which it is consigned by McGraw-Hill, The International Edition is not available in
`North America.
`
`When ordering this title, use ISBN 0-07 -113584-7.
`
`

`
`428
`
`compromise rail
`
`computer-aided instruction
`
`I :kam·t"n d<l'be'
`
`'kam·t<ln
`
`network whi.ch is designed to balance the average of the impe­
`dances that may be connected to the switchboard side ofa hybrid
`,'kam'pr<!, miz 'net, w<lrk I
`arrangement of a repeater.
`compromise rail
`[C1V ENG] A short rail having different
`sections at the ends to correspond with the rail ends to be joined,
`thus providing a transition between rails of different sections.
`( 'kam'pr",mIz ,ral I
`compromising emanations
`[COMMUN] Unintentional data­
`related or intelligence-bearing signals which, if intercepted and
`analyzed by any technique, could disclose the classified infor­
`mation transmitted, received, handled, or otherwise processed
`('kiim-pr<l,miz'il) ,em-"'nii-sh,,nz I
`byequipments.
`Compton absorption
`[QUANT MECH] The absorption of an
`x-ray or gamma-ray photon in Compton scattering, accompa­
`I 'kam'
`nied by the emission of another photon of lower energy.
`t"n <lb'sorp-sh<ln I
`Compton cross section
`[QUANT MECH] The differential
`cross section for the elastic scattering of photons by electrons.
`{ 'kiim-t<ln 'kros ,sek'sh<ln I
`Compton-DebyeeffectSee Compton effect.
`<I i'fekt I
`Compton effect
`[QUANT MECH] The increase in wavelength
`of electromagnetic radiation in the x-ray and gamma-ray region
`on being scattered by material objects; the scattering is due to
`the interaction of the photons with electrons that are effectively
`I 'kam·t"n
`free. Also known as Compton-Debye effect.
`i'fekt I
`Compton electron See Compton recoil electron.
`i'lek,tran }
`Compton equation
`[QUANT MECHI The equation for the
`change in wavelength /:;.1< of radiation scatlered by electrons in
`cos a), where A, is the
`the Compton effect, /:;.A = Ae< I -
`Compton wavelength of the electron, and ais the angle between
`I 'kam-t"n
`the directions of incident and scattered rad.iation.
`i,kwii-zh"n J
`Compton-Getting effect
`[ASTROPHYS] The sidereal diurnal
`variation of the intensity of cosmic rays which would be ex­
`pected from the rotation of the galaxy if cosmic radiation orig­
`inated in extragalactic regions and was isotropic in intergalactic
`space, and if this radiation was unaffected at entry to and passage
`! ;kam-t<ln 'ged-IQ i'fekt }
`through the galaxy.
`Compton incoherent scattering
`[NUC PHYS] Scattering of
`gamma rays by individual nucleons in a nucleus or electrons in
`an atom when the energy of the gamma rays is large enough so
`I 'klim-t<ln in'ko'hir-"nt
`that binding effects may be neglected.
`'skad-<l-ril) }
`comptonization
`[ASTRON] The redistribution in the energies
`of photons in interstellar space that results from their scattering
`I ,klim·t,,-n:l'za·sh<ln J
`from electrons.
`Compton meter
`[NUCLEO] An ionization chamber having a
`balance chamber with a uranium source that is adjusted until it
`balances out normal cosmic radiation; variations in cosmic ra­
`['klim-t<ln ,med­
`diation are then shown on an electrometer.
`;Jr I
`Compton process See Compton scattering.
`;)s I
`Compton recoil electron
`[QUANT MECH] An electron set in
`motion by its interaction with a photon in Compton scattering.
`'klim-t<ln ri'koil
`Also known as Compton electron.
`,
`i'lek,triin I
`Compton recoil particle
`[QUANT MECH] Any particle that
`has acquired its momentum in a scattering process similar to
`Compton scattering.
`('kam·t"n ri'k6il ,pard·,,-k<ll )
`Compton rule
`[PHYS CHEM] An empirical law stating that the
`heat of fusion of an element times its atomic weight divided by
`its melting point in degrees Kelvin equals approximately 2.
`I 'kiim·t:m ,rill}
`Compton scattering
`[QUANT MECHI The elastic scattering
`of photons by electrons. Also known as Compton process;
`gamma-ray scattering.
`(:kam·t"n :skad''''ril) }
`Compton shift
`[QUANT MECH] The change in wavelength of
`I 'kam-t"n
`scattered radiation due to the Compton effect.
`,shift J
`Compton wavelength
`[QUANT MECH] A convenient unit of
`length that is characteristic of an elementary panicle, equal to
`Planck's constant divided by the product of the particle's mass
`I 'klim-t<ln 'wav,lel)kth J
`and the speed of light.
`compulsion
`[PSYCH] An irresistible, impulsive act performed
`
`,'kam·t;)n ,pras'
`
`by an individual against his conscious will and usually arising
`(k<lm'p<ll'sh<ln I
`from an obsession.
`compulsive personality disorder
`[PSYCH] A personality
`disorder characterized by a preoccupation with rules, order,
`(k<lm;p<li-siv ,p<lr's<l'nal­
`organization, efficiency. and detail.
`;Jd'e dis,or-d"r I
`compulsive reaction
`[PSYCH] Behavior disorder in which a
`person is uncomfortable with conditions of ambiguity and un­
`I k"m'p"l'siv re'ak'sh<ln I
`certainty.
`compulsory reporting pOints
`In air operations, geo­
`[NAY]
`graphical points for which an aircraft must repon; these points
`are designated by regulations and can be approved or deleted
`only by rule-making action.
`(k"m'p"l-s<l're ri'pord-il) ,po ins J
`computable function
`[MATH] A function whose value can
`be calculated by some Turing machine in a finite number of
`steps. Also known as effectively computable function.
`, k<lm:pyGd'<I-b<l1 'f<ll)k-sh;Jn I
`1_ The act or process of calculating. 2_
`computation
`[MATH]
`t ,kam-py<l'ta'sh;Jn J
`The result so obtained.
`computational chemistry
`[CHEM] The use of calculations to
`predict molecular structure, propenies, and reactions. {,kam­
`pY<l'tii·sh"n·,,1 'kem''''stre I
`computational fluid dynamics
`[FL MECH] A field of study
`concerned with the use of high-speed digital computers to nu­
`merically solve the complete nonlinear panial differential equa­
`tions governing viscous fluid flows.
`(,kam-py<l'lii'sh<ln'<l1 'flu­
`"d di'nam'iks I
`computational numerical control See computer numerical
`control. {,kam·py"'tii·sh<ln·,,l n[i'mer-<l·k;>1 k<ln'trol I
`computational statistics
`[STAT] The conversion of statisti­
`cal algorithms into computer code that can retrieve useful in­
`formation from large, complex data sets. Also known as sta­
`tistical computing. {,kam-pyu'ta'sh;Jn-<l1 st<l'tis-tiks I
`compute-bound program See CPU-bound
`program.
`( k:lm'pyut ;baund 'pro'gr<lm J
`computed altitude [NAV] 1. In celestial navigation, tabulated
`altitude interpolated for increments of latitude. declination. or
`hour angle; if no interpolation is required, the tabulated altitude
`and computed altitude are identical. 2_ Altitude determined by
`computation, table, mechanical computer, or graphics, particu­
`larly such an altitude of the center of a celestial body measured
`as an arc on a vertical circle of the celestial sphere from the
`celestial horizon. Also known as calculated altitude.
`I k"m'pytid'<ld 'aJot<l,tlid J
`computed azimuth
`In celestial navigation, an azimuth
`[NAY]
`determined by computation, table, mechanical device, or graph­
`ics for a given place and time.
`(k"m'pytid';>d 'az-<l-m<lth )
`computed azimuth angle
`[NAY] Azimuth angle determined
`by computation, table, mechanical device, or graphics for a
`given place and time.
`[k<lm'pyGd'<ld 'az-,,-m<lth ,al)'g<ll J
`[COMPUT SCI) A control procedure in FOR­
`computed go to
`TRAN which allows the transfer of control to the ith label of a
`set of n labels used as statement numbers in the program.
`I k<lm'pyud-"d 'go ,W J
`computed path control
`[CONT SYS] A control system de­
`signed to follow a path calculated to be the optimal one to
`(k<lm'pyud'<ld :path k<ln'trol I
`achieve a desired result.
`computed
`tomography See computerized
`tomography.
`( k<lm'pyUd'<ld t"'mli·gr,,.[e I
`[COMPUT SCI] The operation of an analog
`compute mode
`computer in which input signals are used by the computing units
`to calculate a solution, in contrast to hold mode and reset mode.
`I bm'pylit ,mOd 1
`computer
`[COM PUT SCI] A device that receives, processes,
`and presents data; the two types are analog and digital. Also
`(k"m'pytid'<lr I
`known as computing machine.
`computer-aided design
`[COMPUT SCI] The generation of
`computer automated designs for display on cathode-ray tubes.
`Abbreviated CAD.
`(k<lm'pyUd-:lr ,ad·"d d<l'zin J
`computer-aided design and drafting
`[COM PUT SCI) The
`carrying out of computer-aided design with a system that has
`additional features for the drafting function, such as dimension­
`ing and text entry. Abbreviated CADD.
`(k"m'pylid':lr ,ad­
`<ld di'zin <In 'draft'il) }
`computer-aided engineering
`[ENO] The use of computer­
`based tools to assist in solution of engineering problems.
`I k<lm'pytid'<lr ,iid-<ld ,en'j<l'nir-il) }
`computer-aided instruction See computer-assisted instruction.
`I k"m'pylid-;Jr ,ad'<ld in'str<lk'sh"n I