Glossary
A
absolute pressure: The pressure relative to a
vacuum. (15)
abutments: The structural components that
connect the bridge to the ground at the ends
of the bridge. (9)
Accreditation Board for Engineering and
Technology (ABET): The organization
that accredits high-quality engineering
programs. (16)
actuator: A device used to convert fl uid power
into either linear or rotary motion. (10)
adhesion: The bonding of two materials
using an adhesive material like glue or
cement. (14)
aerodynamics: The study of how air fl ows
around solid objects. (13)
aeronautics: The study of manned and
unmanned craft within the earth’s
atmosphere. (13)
aerospace engineering: The design,
construction, analysis, and troubleshooting
of components in aircraft, spacecraft,
missiles, and high-altitude vehicles. (1, 13)
aesthetics: The quality of being visually
appealing. (6)
agricultural engineering: A branch of biological
engineering focused on crop and livestock
production. (11)
aileron: The component of a wing that is located
on the outside rear of each wing and is
adjusted for turning. (13)
air compressor: A device used by pneumatic
systems to produce compressed gas. (10)
algorithm: A step-by-step procedure for solving
problems or completing tasks. (12)
alloy: A mixture of a metal with one or more
additional elements. Often a combination of
two or more metals. (7, 14)
alternating current (ac): The current fl ow where
polarity is constantly changing. (8)
American Institute of Chemical Engineers
(AIChE): The largest professional society
for chemical engineers, with nearly 40,000
members in more than 93 countries. (15)
American Wire Gauge (AWG): A system for
sizing round wires based on their cross-
sectional area where smaller numbers
represent larger wire. (8)
ammeter: A meter that is used to measure
current. (8)
anaerobic digestion: A biochemical conversion
process that uses microorganisms to degrade
biological material in an environment
without oxygen. (11)
AND gate: A gate that provides an output of 1
only if both inputs (A and B) are 1. (12)
aneroid gauge: A type of gauge that uses a small
bellows (like an accordion) that changes
shape as pressure changes. (15)
angle of attack: The angle of the chord line of
the wing relative to the airfl ow. (13)
angle of incidence: The angle of the wing in
relation to the airplane body. (13)
arch bridge: A type of bridge that relies on
the strength and rigidity of the arch. The
strength of an arch is that the structural
members are always in compression and
that it can distribute the load throughout the
arch to the abutments. (9)
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