An electrostatic generator is a device that produces high voltages of static electricity through various mechanical means. These generators work by separating electric charges and accumulating them on conductive surfaces, thus generating a high potential difference. There are several types of electrostatic generators, with the most common being the Leyden jar, the Van de Graaff generator, and the Wimshurst machine.
Magnetic excitation refers to the alteration of a material's magnetic state, typically due to the application of an external magnetic field or the influence of temperature changes. In the context of physics and materials science, it can involve various phenomena, such as the alignment of magnetic dipoles, changes in magnetization, or transitions between different magnetic phases (like ferromagnetic, paramagnetic, or antiferromagnetic states).
Spatial anxiety refers to a form of anxiety related to spatial awareness and navigation. It can manifest when individuals feel discomfort, fear, or stress in situations that require them to navigate or comprehend their environment spatially. This may include difficulties in finding one’s way in unfamiliar places, managing distance and direction, or even interpreting maps and spatial layouts.
The open-circuit saturation curve is a graphical representation used in the analysis of electrical machines, particularly in the context of transformers and synchronous machines. This curve illustrates the relationship between the magnetizing current and the magnetic flux in the core of the machine when it is operating under open-circuit conditions—meaning that there is no load connected to the machine.
A Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator (RTG) is a type of power generator that converts heat released by the decay of radioactive isotopes into electricity through thermoelectric conversion. RTGs are used primarily for space missions, remote weather stations, and other applications where conventional power sources are impractical. ### How It Works: 1. **Radioactive Decay:** The RTG uses a radioactive material, typically plutonium-238, which emits heat as it decays.
A shunt generator is a type of direct current (DC) electrical generator where the field windings are connected in parallel (or "shunt") with the armature windings. This configuration allows the generator to maintain a relatively constant voltage output, even as the load changes. ### Key Features of Shunt Generators: 1. **Field Winding**: The field winding is connected parallel to the armature (hence the name "shunt").
The Systems for Nuclear Auxiliary Power (SNAP) program was a project initiated by the United States during the early stages of the space age, particularly in the 1960s. The goal of SNAP was to develop compact, rugged nuclear power systems that could provide electrical energy for various space missions, particularly in situations where traditional solar power sources might be insufficient, such as deep-space missions or those requiring a continuous power supply.
A thermionic converter is a device that converts thermal energy directly into electrical energy through the process of thermionic emission. This phenomenon occurs when electrons are emitted from a heated material (usually a metal or semiconductor) into a vacuum or low-pressure environment. The basic principle of a thermionic converter involves heating a cathode (the electron-emitting electrode) to a high temperature, enough to provide the thermal energy required for electrons to overcome the work function of the material.
Internal resistance refers to the opposition to the flow of electric current within a power source, such as a battery or a fuel cell. It occurs due to various factors, including the chemical reactions occurring inside the battery, the physical properties of the materials used in the battery, and any ionic conductivity limitations within the electrolyte. When a current flows from a power source, internal resistance causes some of the voltage to be lost as heat instead of contributing to the output voltage available to an external load.
An ohmmeter is an instrument used to measure electrical resistance in ohms (Ω). It is a fundamental tool in electronics and electrical engineering, useful for diagnosing faults in circuits, checking the integrity of components, and verifying connections. ### Key Features of an Ohmmeter: - **Resistance Measurement**: It directly measures the resistance of resistive components, such as resistors, wiring, and other electronic components.
Charge transport mechanisms refer to the processes by which charge carriers (such as electrons and holes) move through a material. These mechanisms are critical for understanding electrical conductivity in various materials, including semiconductors, insulators, and superconductors. Here are some key charge transport mechanisms: 1. **Drift**: - This is the movement of charge carriers due to an applied electric field.
Resistance distance is a concept that arises in the field of graph theory and is related to electrical networks. It measures the "distance" between nodes in a graph based on the idea of resistance in an electrical circuit. Specifically, resistance distance is defined in terms of the effective resistance between two vertices in a graph when that graph is treated as an electrical network.
The residual-resistance ratio (RRR) is a measure used primarily in the field of superconductivity and materials science to assess the purity and quality of conductive materials, particularly metals. It is defined as the ratio of the resistivity of a material at room temperature (or a higher temperature) to the residual resistivity of that material as it approaches absolute zero temperature.
ANSI C12.10 refers to a standard developed by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) that pertains to electronic meter interfaces, specifically for revenue metering in electric utility applications. C12.10 is part of the larger C12 suite of standards, which deals with various aspects of electric metering. The C12.10 standard defines the requirements for the communication between electronic revenue meters and external communication devices, such as data collectors or other systems.
CAN/ULC S801 is a standard issued by the Underwriters Laboratories of Canada (ULC) that pertains to the performance and testing of fire alarm systems. Specifically, it addresses the requirements for the installation, maintenance, and testing of fire alarm systems to ensure that they operate effectively and provide reliable protection against fire hazards. The standard outlines the necessary practices for fire alarm system components, including detectors, alarms, control panels, and interconnections, ensuring they meet certain performance criteria under various conditions.
A redox gradient refers to a variation in the oxidation-reduction potential (redox potential) across a particular environment, typically in soil, sediment, or aquatic systems. The term is derived from "reduction" (the gain of electrons) and "oxidation" (the loss of electrons), and it describes how different areas within a system can exhibit different levels of oxidizing or reducing conditions.
A reversible solid oxide cell (RSOC) is a versatile electrochemical device that can function both as a fuel cell and as an electrolyzer. This dual functionality makes it capable of converting chemical energy into electrical energy and vice versa. The technology utilizes solid oxide materials that allow for high-temperature operations, typically between 500°C to 1000°C.
IEC 62682 is an international standard developed by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) that focuses on the management of alarms in industrial process systems. Officially titled "Management of alarm systems for the process industries," the standard provides guidelines for the design, implementation, and management of alarm systems to ensure that they are effective, efficient, and support safe operations within industrial facilities.
JIS semiconductor designation refers to the classification system used by the Japanese Industrial Standards (JIS) for identifying semiconductor devices. This system helps in specifying the characteristics and attributes of semiconductors, such as diodes, transistors, and integrated circuits. The JIS designation typically includes a code that provides information about the type of device, its operating conditions, and electrical characteristics. For example, JIS may specify the maximum voltage, current ratings, and package type of the semiconductor.
Pinned article: Introduction to the OurBigBook Project
Welcome to the OurBigBook Project! Our goal is to create the perfect publishing platform for STEM subjects, and get university-level students to write the best free STEM tutorials ever.
Everyone is welcome to create an account and play with the site: ourbigbook.com/go/register. We belive that students themselves can write amazing tutorials, but teachers are welcome too. You can write about anything you want, it doesn't have to be STEM or even educational. Silly test content is very welcome and you won't be penalized in any way. Just keep it legal!
Intro to OurBigBook
. Source. We have two killer features:
- topics: topics group articles by different users with the same title, e.g. here is the topic for the "Fundamental Theorem of Calculus" ourbigbook.com/go/topic/fundamental-theorem-of-calculusArticles of different users are sorted by upvote within each article page. This feature is a bit like:
- a Wikipedia where each user can have their own version of each article
- a Q&A website like Stack Overflow, where multiple people can give their views on a given topic, and the best ones are sorted by upvote. Except you don't need to wait for someone to ask first, and any topic goes, no matter how narrow or broad
This feature makes it possible for readers to find better explanations of any topic created by other writers. And it allows writers to create an explanation in a place that readers might actually find it.Figure 1. Screenshot of the "Derivative" topic page. View it live at: ourbigbook.com/go/topic/derivativeVideo 2. OurBigBook Web topics demo. Source. - local editing: you can store all your personal knowledge base content locally in a plaintext markup format that can be edited locally and published either:This way you can be sure that even if OurBigBook.com were to go down one day (which we have no plans to do as it is quite cheap to host!), your content will still be perfectly readable as a static site.
- to OurBigBook.com to get awesome multi-user features like topics and likes
- as HTML files to a static website, which you can host yourself for free on many external providers like GitHub Pages, and remain in full control
Figure 3. Visual Studio Code extension installation.Figure 4. Visual Studio Code extension tree navigation.Figure 5. Web editor. You can also edit articles on the Web editor without installing anything locally.Video 3. Edit locally and publish demo. Source. This shows editing OurBigBook Markup and publishing it using the Visual Studio Code extension.Video 4. OurBigBook Visual Studio Code extension editing and navigation demo. Source. - Infinitely deep tables of contents:
All our software is open source and hosted at: github.com/ourbigbook/ourbigbook
Further documentation can be found at: docs.ourbigbook.com
Feel free to reach our to us for any help or suggestions: docs.ourbigbook.com/#contact





