FLUX --(1) In electrical or electromagnetic
ELECTROLYSIS --A type of corrosion
devices, a general term used to designate collec-
(chemical, decomposition) caused by current flow
tively all the electric or magnetic lines of force in
resulting from contact of dissimilar metals.
a region, (2) A solution that removes surface
oxides from metals being soldered.
ELECTROLYTE --A solution of a substance
that is capable of conducting electricity. An
FLUX DENSITY --The number of magnetic
electrolyte may be in the form of either a liquid
lines of force passing through a given area.
or a paste.
FLUX FIELD --All electric or magnetic lines
ELECTROMAGNET --A magnet made by
of force in a given region.
passing current through a coil of wire wound on
a soft iron core.
FREE ELECTRONS --Electrons that are
loosely held; consequently, they tend to move at
ELECTROMOTIVE FORCE (EMF) --The
random among the atoms of the material.
force that produces an electric current in a circuit.
FREE GYRO --A gyro so gimbaled that it
ELECTRON --A negatively charged particle
assumes and maintains any attitude in space. The
of matter.
free gyro has two degrees of freedom; torque
cannot be applied to the rotor of a truly free gyro.
ELECTRON SHELL --A group of electrons
that have a common energy level that forms part
FREQUENCY --The number of complete
of the outer structure (shell) of an atom.
cycles per second existing in any form of wave
ENERGY --The ability or capacity to do
motion, such as the number of cycles per second
of an alternating current.
work.
FULL-WAVE RECTIFIER CIRCUIT --A
EQUIVALENT CIRCUIT --A diagrammatic
circuit that uses both the positive and the negative
arrangement of component parts representing, in
alternations of an alternating current to produce
simplified form, the effects of a more complicated
a direct current.
circuit to permit easier analysis.
FUSE --A protective device inserted in series
ERECTING (A GYRO) --The positioning of
with a circuit. It contains a metal that will melt
a gyro into a desired position and the maintaining
of that position.
or break when current is increased beyond a
specific value for a definite period of time.
ERROR SIGNAL --(1) In servo systems, the
GAIN --The ratio of the output power,
signal whose amplitude and polarity or phase are
voltage, or current to the input power, voltage,
used to correct the alignment between the
controlling and the controlled elements. (2) The
or current, respectively.
name given to the electrical output of a control
GALVANOMETER --An instrument used to
measure small dc currents.
E-TRANSFORMER --A magnetic device with
GENERATOR --A machine that converts
an E configuration, used as an error detector.
mechanical energy into electrical energy.
FARAD --The unit of capacitance.
GIMBAL --A frame in which the gyro wheel
spins, and that allows the gyro wheel to have
FEEDBACK --A transfer of energy from the
output circuit of a device back to its input.
certain freedom of movement. It permits the gyro
motor to incline freely and retain that position
when the support is tipped or repositioned.
FIELD --The space containing electric or
magnetic lines of force.
GROUND --A metallic connection with the
FIELD WINDING --The coil used to provide
earth to establish ground potential. Also, a
common return to a point of zero potential.
the magnetizing force in motors and generators.
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