(
`
`]ilffiRnir-lllI
`fiffinilrilff
`$mililnumrr
`ftrlliltHl
`ftnll$
`lift|tlditim
`
`Sybil P. Parker
`Editor in Chief
`
`LlBRATTY
`rHE uNlv-F]t'lY oF TEXAS
`Ai ;''
`McGraw-Hill, Inc.
`1...,..,,,1_-.,,.;,,,..-_.1;--,.
`New York
`San Francisco Washington, D.C.'
`Auckland
`Caracas
`Bogot6
`Lisbon
`London
`Madrid
`Milan
`Mexico City
`Montreal
`New Delhi
`San Juan
`Singapore
`Sydney
`Tokyo
`Toronto
`
`1
`
`SYMC 1009
`
`

`
`On the cover: Photomicrograph of crystals of vitamln 81.
`(Dennis Kunkel, University of Hawaiil
`
`Included in this Dictionary are definitions which have been published previously in the following works: P. B.
`Iordain, Condensed Computer 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 lllustrators' Encyclopedia, Copyright @ 1969 by McGraw-Hill,Inc. All
`rights reserved. Blakiston's Gould Medical Dictionary,3ded., Copyright @ 1956, 1972 by McGraw-Hill,Inc. All
`rights reserved. T.. Baumeister and L. S. Marks, eds., Standard Handbook for Mechanical Engineers, Tth ed.,
`Copyright O 1958, 1967 by McGraw-Hill, Inc. All rights reserved.
`
`In addition, material has been drawn from the following references: R. E. Huschke, Glossary of Meteorology,
`American Meteorological Society, 1959; U.S. Air Force Glossary of StandardizedTerms, AF Manual 11- 1, vol.
`|, 1972; Communications-Electronics Terminology, AF Manual I 1-1, vol. 3, 1970; W. H. Allen, ed., Dictionary
`of Technical Terms for Aerospace Use, lst ed., National Aeronautics and Space Administration, 1965; J. M.
`Gilliland, Soiar-Terrestrial Physics: A Glossary of Terms and Abbreviations,Royal Aircraft Establishment Tech-
`nical Report 67158,1967; Glossary of AirTrffic ControlTerms, Federal Aviation Agency; A Glossary of Range
`Terminology,White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico, National Bureau of Standards, AD 46'1-424; A DOD
`Glossary of Mapping, Charting and Geodetic Terms, l st ed., Department of Defense, 1967; P. W. Thrush, comp.
`and ed., A Dictionary of Mining, Mineral, and RelatedTerms,Bureatof Mines, 1968; NuclearTerms: A Glossary,
`2d ed., Atomic Energy Commission; F. Casey, ed,., Compilation of Terms in Information Sciences Technology,
`Federal Council for Science and Technology, 1910; Glossary ofStinfoTerminology, Office of Aerospace Research,
`U.S. Air Force, 1963:. Naval Dictionary of Electronic,Technical, and Imperative Term s, 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 O 1994, 1989, 1984, 1978, 1976, 1974by McGraw-Hill, Inc. All rights reserved. Printed in the United
`States of America. Except as permitted 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 written permission of the publisher.
`
`34567890
`
`DOW/DOW gg8765
`
`ISBN 0-07-042333-4
`
`Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
`
`McGraw-Hill dictionary of scientific and technical terms /
`Sybil P. Parker, editor in chief..-5th ed.
`p.
`cm.
`rsBN 0-07-042333-4
`1. Science-Dictionaries. 2.Technology-Dictionaries.
`I. Parker, Sybil P.
`QI23.M34 t993
`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 Intemational Edition is not available in
`North America.
`
`When ordering this title, use ISBN 0-07-113584-7.
`
`2
`
`SYMC 1009
`
`

`
`marine terrace
`
`marl
`
`marline
`
`I me'ron
`
`facilities for docking, cargo-handling, and storage. { ma'r€n
`'term'en'el l
`[cEor-] A seacoast tenace formed by the
`marine terrace
`merging of a wave-built terrace and a wave-cut platform. Also
`known as sea terrace; shore terrace. { ma'ren 'ter.as }
`marine traftic
`[Nav] Traffic on the waterways. { me'rcn
`'traf ik I
`marine transgression Seu transgression
`tranz'gresh.an l
`marine weather observation
`The weather as
`[urrronor-]
`observed from a ship at sea, usually taken in accordance with
`procedures specified by the World Meteorological Organrza-
`tion. { ma'r6n 'weth.ar ,iib'zar,v6'shen }
`Mariotte's law.Sec Boyle's law.
`I lmar.e;ats ,lo )
`mariia
`[INv zoo] An adult trematode. { ma'rld'a }
`maritime air
`Irusrror.ol] A type of air whose characteristics
`are developed over an extensive water surface and which, there-
`fore, has the basic maritime quality of high moisture content in
`at least its lower levels. ( 'mar.a,tr-m 'er I
`maritime climate See marine climate. { 'mar.e,tim 'kli.mat }
`maritime trequency bands
`In the United States,
`[cout'rur]
`a collection of radio frequencies allocated fbr communication
`between coast stations and ships or between ships. {'mara,trm
`'fre'kwan'sE ,banz I
`marilime law
`[ravl Law that concerns navigation and com-
`merce on the oceans and other navigable bodies of water.
`{ 'mar.a,tim'lo }
`maritime mobile service
`[couuuN] A mobile service be-
`tween coast stations and ship stations. or between ship stations,
`in which survival craft stations may also participate. { 'mar'
`e,tlm'm6'bal iser.vas )
`maritime polar air
`[urreonol] Polar air initially possessing
`similar properties to those of continental polar air, but in passing
`over warrner water it becomes unstable with a higher moisture
`content. { 'mar.e,tlm'po'ler ler }
`maritime position
`[rev] The location of a seaport or other
`point along a coast. { 'mare,trm pa'zish.an l
`[ 'mara,trm 'sad'el,it i
`maritime satellite See MARISAT.
`[MErEoRor] Theprincipal typeof trop-
`maritimetropicalair
`ical air, produced over the tropical and subtropical seas; it is
`very warm and humid, and is frequently carried poleward on
`the westem flanks of the subtropical highs. { 'maro,trm 'trep'
`a'kel ier I
`[nor] Any of several perennial plants of the genera
`marioram
`Origanum and Majorana inthe mintfamily, Labiatae; the leaves
`are used as a food seasoning. { 'm?irjo'ram }
`[wra.ran] A colorless essential liquid whose
`marjoram oil
`chief components are terpenes, obtained from marjoram plants
`of the genus Origanum; used as a perfume in soaps, and in
`flavorings. { 'miirje.rem ,oil }
`mark
`[coMMUN] The closed-circuit condition in telegraphic
`communication, during which the signal actuates the printer;
`the opposite of space. [courur sct] A distinguishing feature
`used to signal some particular location or condition. INnv] 1 .
`A charted conspicuous object, structure, or light serving as an
`indicator for guidance or waming to craft; a beaconl it may be
`a day-beacon or sea-mark depending upon its location, or a day-
`mark or lighted beacon depending upon its period of usefulness.
`[ono] A designation fol-
`2. Fathoms marked on a lead ine.
`lowed by a serial number, used to identify models of military
`The name or value given to a class inter-
`equipment. [srlrl
`val; frequently, the value of the midpoint or the integer nearest
`the midpoint.
`{ miirk }
`[corrapur scr] That class of character recog-
`mark detection
`nition systems which employs coded documents, in the form of
`boxes or windows, in order to convey intended information by
`means of pencil or ink marks made in specihc boxes. { 'mlirk
`.|
`di,tek.shan
`[cEN ] A gene with a known location on a chromosome
`marker
`and a clear-cut phenotype. [TMMUNoL] Any antigen that
`serves to distinguish cell types. [ono] A sign or signal for
`marking a location on land or water; ltequently contains pyro-
`technics. [ 'miirk.ar ]
`[Nav] A low-power radio beacon transmit-
`marker beacon
`ting a signal to designate a small area, as an aid to navigation.
`{ 'miirk.ar ,bd'kan }
`marker bed
`[cEoL] 1 . A stratified unit with distinctive char-
`acterislics making it an easily recognized geologic horizon. 2.
`A rock layer which accounts for a characteristic portion of a
`
`seismic refraction time-distance curve. 3. See key bed.
`{ 'miirk'ar ,bed }
`marker buoy
`[NAV] 1. A temporary buoy used in surveying
`to mark a location of particular interest, such as a shoal or reef.
`2. Jee station buoy. ( 'm:irk'ar ,boi I
`marker pulse
`[coruuuN] A pulse used for synchronization
`between transmitter and receiver in a time-division multiplex
`system. { 'miirk.ar ,pals }
`market analysis
`[rNo eNc] The collection and evaluation of
`data concemed with the past, present, or future attributes of
`potential consumers for a product or service. { 'markat a,nal'
`a.sas )
`[coMMUN] The transmission of a steady mark to
`mark-hold
`indicate that there is no traffic over a telegraph shannel; the
`upper marking frequency of a duplex channel (2225 hertz) is
`used to disable echo suppressors which may interfere with data
`communications. { im:irk ihold }
`Mark-Houwink equation
`[rHvs cnervr] The relationship be-
`tween intrinsic viscosity and molecular weight forhomogeneous
`linear polymers. { 'miirk'hau,wipk i,kwd.zhen }
`marking and spacing intervals
`[coMMUN] Intervals of
`closed and open conditions in transmission circuits.
`{ imairk.
`ip an jspas'ip 'intar'valz )
`marking bias
`[corrluuN] Bias distonion that lengthens the
`marking impulse. [ 'm2irk'i4 ,bi'as )
`marking current
`[Er-Ec] Magnitude and polarity of cunent
`in the line when the receiving mechanism is in the operaling
`position. { 'miirk'ig ,ka'rant }
`End distortion that
`marking-end distortion
`[counuu]
`lengthens the marking impulse.
`iend di,stor.shan I
`{ 'miirk.il
`marking pulse
`[ELEC] In a teletypewriter, the signal interval
`during which time the teletypewriter selector unit is operated.
`{ 'milrk'i1 ,pals }
`marking wave
`IELEC] In telegraphic communications, that
`portion of the emission during which the active portions of the
`code character are being transmitled. Also known as keying
`wave. { 'mifk'ip ,wav }
`Markov chain
`[nerH] A Markol process whose state space
`is finite or countably infinite. { 'mar,kof ,chan }
`Markov inequality
`If :t is a random variable with
`[sre,r]
`probability P and expectation E, then P(lxl>a)<E(]xl"la^).
`{ 'mar,k6f ,in'i'kwil'ed'e }
`In an addition reaction, the
`Markovnikoff's rule
`[onc cHrlr]
`additive molecule RH adds as H and R, with the R going to the
`carbon atom with the lesser number of hydrogen atoms bonded
`to ir.
`{ mair'kdv'ne,kdfs ,riil }
`Markov process
`[MArH ] A stochastic process which assumes
`that in a series ofrandom events the probability of an occurrence
`of each event depends only on the immediately preceding out-
`{ 'miir,kof prii'sas }
`come.
`In character recognition, &at
`mark reading
`[cot'.rpur sctl
`form of mark detection which employs a photoelectric device
`to locate and convey intended information; the information ap-
`pears as special marks on sites (windows) within the document
`coding area. { 'mark ,rcd'irJ I
`In character recognition, that
`[covrur scr]
`mark sensing
`form of mark detection which depends on the conductivily 0f
`graphite pencil marks to locale and convey intended informa-
`tion; the information appears as special marks on sites (wrn-
`dows) within the document coding area. { 'miirk ,sens'i1 J
`IELEcrn] A multiplier used in anatog
`mark-space multiplier
`computers in which one input controls the mark-to-space ratio
`of a square wave while the other input con[ols the amplitude of
`the wave, and the output. obtained by a smoothing operation. is
`proportional to the average value of the signal. Also known as
`time-division multiplier. { imiirk lspas 'mal.te,ph'ar }
`mark-space ratio See mark-to-space ratio.
`{ imiirk lspes H'
`sh6 I
`[Er-Ecrn] The ratio of the duration of
`mark-to-space ratio
`the positive-amplitude part of a square wave to that of the neg-
`ative-amplitude pan. AIso known as mark-space ratio.
`{ imiirk ito ispds 'rd'sh6 }
`rnark-to-space transition
`[couuuN] The process of switch-
`ing fromamarkto a space. { imiirk ite jspds tran'zish'an }
`[cror-] A deposit of crumbling earthy material composed
`marl
`principally ofclay with magnesium and calcium carbonate; used
`as a fertilizer for lime-deficient soils. Also known as malm.
`Two yams of different colors or kinds twisted around
`[rnxr]
`each other.
`I mifl
`I
`
`marline
`[Hrv nnc
`about % inch (3 mi
`{ 'miir'lan )
`marline spike
`IN
`arate the strands o
`,m
`and seizing. [
`marlite See marlsto
`marlstone
`[errnl
`same composition
`argillaceous limes,
`femtginous rock ol
`[cnor_] pe
`marly
`[ 'mair.ld ]
`marmatile
`IMlNEt
`posed of iron-beari
`I 'm2ir.me,rit I
`marmolite
`InrNrr
`curring in thin lan
`me,h-t l
`marmon clampbar
`around the circumf,
`two structures, hol
`'klamp,bord )
`Marmor
`[cEor-] ,
`cran geologic time,
`above Whiterock al
`marmoset
`[vrnr:
`pnmates belonging
`pnmitive in thar the
`,mrir
`hensile tail.
`{
`marmot
`{venr zo<
`short-legged bunov
`squinel family Sciu
`marocain crepe
`[r
`twisted wool, silk,
`giving a cross-ribbe
`marquenching Sec
`marriaoe theorem
`n subsets of a set .,
`representatives for I
`together contain at
`Hall's theorem. i
`marrite
`IlrrNrul]
`curring as small cry:
`marrubium
`Inor]
`the mint family. Lab
`as a tonic and anlhe
`hound.
`{ me,rii'bE.
`Mars
`IAsrRoN] Tl
`is visible to the nak,
`periods when it is nr
`is abour 4150 miles
`Marsden chart
`[M
`tribution of meteorc
`oceans; usrng a Me
`80"N and 70"S latir
`each of 10" latitude
`bered to indicate p
`qututer squares, or
`from 00 to 99 to give
`dan ,chiin )
`Marseilles fever.!er
`Marseilles soap
`[r
`olive oil and soda.
`marsh
`[EcoL] A r
`part of the time by er
`by aquatic ard grass
`accumulation. { m
`Marsh-Berzelius te
`,test l
`marsh gas
`[cBocr
`of methane, produce
`nant water. I 'md-n
`marshite
`Ir'.rrNrnn
`mineral composed c
`hardness is 2.5 on
`{ 'miir,shir }
`marsh ore See bog i
`Marsh test
`Inr.r,rir
`
`,
`
`3
`
`SYMC 1009