Electronic Engineering Glossary Terms

Electromagnet. An electrically excited magnet capable of exerting mechanical force or of performing mechanical work. A part that is magnetized only when subjected to an electric current.

Electromagnetic. The term describing the relationship between electricity and magnetism. A quality that combines both magnetic and electric properties.

Electromagnetic Field. The combination of an electric (E) field and a magnetic (H) field.

Electromagnetic Induction. The production of a voltage in a coil because of a change in the number of magnetic lines of force (flux linkages) passing through the coil.

Electromagnetic Interference. [EMI] Man-made or natural interference that degrades the quality of reception of radio waves. Any electromagnetic disturbance that interrupts, obstructs, or otherwise degrades or limits the effective performance of electronics/electrical equipment.

Electromagnetic Radiation. The radiation of radio waves into space.

Electromagnetic Relay. A relay which is actuated by the effect of a magnetic field developed by the current in its energizing coil. Also refer to a list of Electromagnetic Relay Suppliers.

Electromagnetic Speaker. A speaker that uses an electro-magnet. A loudspeaker whose diaphragm movements are produced by a coil or iron armature moving in the field of an electromagnet or a fixed coil.

Electromagnetism. The generation of a magnetic field around a current-carrying conductor.

Electromotive Force. [EMF] The force (voltage) that produces an electric current in a circuit.

Electron. The elementary negative charge that revolves around the nucleus of an atom.

Electron Beam. A flow of electrons that have been focused into a narrow beam, usually emitted from a single source like a cathode of a tube.

Electron Gun. A device that produces an electron beam, for example as used in a CRT.

Electron Tube. A vacuum tube, also see Types of Electron Tubes [Part of the Radar dictionary of terms].

Electronic-Equipment Dehydrator. A device that provides an alternate dry-air input in the event of failure of the central dry-air system. It may include a compressor.

Electronic Frequency Counter. An instrument that counts the number of cycles (pulses) occurring during a precise time interval. [Frequency Counter Manufacturers]

Electronics. The term electronics as defined is a system, or equipment, with the primary purpose of which is the transmission or reception, of intelligence, and includes or comprises, communications or signal equipment, radio, radar, radiation, radio-controlling devices, meteorological, fire-control, bombing, flight and navigational instruments, power plant controls, synchronizers, photographic and test equipment [adopted from a Military airborne specification]. Electronics employ circuits which utilize a combination of electrical or electronic devices to generate,control,indicate,or record any form of alternating or direct currents,or both.

Electronic Scanning. Scanning in which the axis of the beam is moved, relative to the antenna axis, in a desired pattern. Also see Technical Radar Terms

Electronics Dry-Air Branch. A common line for providing dry air to various electronic equipment, such as search radar, fire-control radar, and repeaters.

Electronic Switch. A circuit that causes a start-and-stop switching action by electronic means.

Electronic Tuning. In a reflex klystron, changing the frequency and output power of the tube by altering the repeller voltage.

Electrostatic. Pertaining to electricity at rest, such as charges on an object (static electricity).

Electrostatic Deflection. The method of deflecting an electron beam by passing it between parallel charged plates mounted inside a cathode-ray tube [CRT Internal View and definitions].

Electrostatic Discharge Sensitive. (ESDS). The level of susceptibility of devices to damage by static electricity, found by classification testing, is used as the basis for assigning an ESDS class. Electronic parts having sensitive characteristics (e.g., thin-layered internal composition) and delicate, miniaturized construction which are susceptible to damage or degradation, in various degrees, from environmental field forces (electrostatic, electromagnetic, magnetic, or radioactive). This susceptibility also extends to the standard electronic modules, printed circuit boards, printed wiring boards, and circuit card assemblies containing one or more of these sensitive electronic parts. [ESD Terms]

Electrostatic Field. The field of influence between two differently charged bodies.

Electrostatic Meter Movement. A meter movement that uses the electrostatic repulsion of two sets of charged plates (one fixed and the other movable). This meter movement reacts to voltage rather than to current and is used to measure high voltage.

Electrostatic Shield. A shield that prevents electrostatic coupling but does allow magnetic coupling.

Electrostatic Stress. The force exerted on an insulator by the voltage in a conductor.

Element. A substance, in chemistry, that cannot be divided into simpler substances by any means ordinarily available. A constituent of a device that contributes directly to its operation (e.g., chip resistor, capacitor, diode, transistor, or integrated circuit incorporated into a device), is an element of the device. A part of an antenna that can be either an active radiator or a parasitic radiator.