What is "phase"

Phase \Phase\ (f[=a]z), n.; pl. Phases (f[=a]z"[e^]z). [NL. phasis, Gr. ?, fr. ? to make to appear: cf. F. phase. See Phenomenon, Phantom, and Emphasis.]

1. That which is exhibited to the eye; the appearance which anything manifests, especially any one among different and varying appearances of the same object.

2. Any appearance or aspect of an object of mental apprehension or view; as, the problem has many phases.

3. (Astron.) A particular appearance or state in a regularly recurring cycle of changes with respect to quantity of illumination or form of enlightened disk; as, the phases of the moon or planets. See Illust. under Moon.

4. (Physics) Any one point or portion in a recurring series of changes, as in the changes of motion of one of the particles constituting a wave or vibration; one portion of a series of such changes, in distinction from a contrasted portion, as the portion on one side of a position of equilibrium, in contrast with that on the opposite side.

5. (Phys. Chem.) A homogenous, physically distinct portion of matter in a system not homogeneous; as, the three phases, ice, water, and aqueous vapor. A phase may be either a single chemical substance or a mixture, as of gases.

6. (Zo["o]l.) In certain birds and mammals, one of two or more color variations characteristic of the species, but independent of the ordinary seasonal and sexual differences, and often also of age. Some of the herons which appear in white and colored phases, and certain squirrels which are sometimes uniformly blackish instead of the usual coloration, furnish examples. Color phases occur also in other animals, notably in butterflies.

7. (Elec.) The relation at any instant of a periodically varying electric magnitude, as electro-motive force, a current, etc., to its initial value as expressed in factorial parts of the complete cycle. It is usually expressed in angular measure, the cycle beb four right angles, or 360[deg]. Such periodic variations are generally well represented by sine curves; and phase relations are shown by the relative positions of the crests and hollows of such curves. Magnitudes which have the same phase are said to be in phase.

8. (Physics) the relation at any instant of any cyclically varying physical quantity, such as voltage in an A.C. circuit, an electromagnetic wave, a sound wave, or a rotating object, to its initial value as expressed as a fractional part of the complete cycle. It is usually expressed in angular measure, the complete cycle being 360[deg].

   Note: The concept of phase is also applied generally to any periodically varying phenomenon, as the cycle of daylight. One person who speeps during the day and another who sleeps at noght may be said to be out of phase with each other.

Phase \Phase\ (f[=a]z), v. t. [Cf. Feeze.] To disturb the composure of; to disconcert; to nonplus; -- an older spelling, now replaced by faze. [Colloq., Archaic]

Syn: faze. [Webster 1913 Suppl. +PJC]

1705, "phase of the moon," back-formed as a singular from Modern Latin phases, plural of phasis, from Greek phasis "appearance" (of a star), "phase" (of the moon), from stem of phainein "to show, to make appear" (see phantasm). Latin singular phasis was used in English from 1660. Non-lunar application is first attested 1841. Meaning "temporary difficult period" (especially of adolescents) is attested from 1913.

"to synchronize," 1895, from phase (n.). Meaning "to carry out gradually" is from 1949, hence phase in "introduce gradually" (1954), phase out (1954). Related: Phased; phasing.

Etymology 1 n. 1 A distinguishable part of a sequence or cycle occurring over time. 2 That which is exhibited to the eye; the appearance which anything manifests, especially any one among different and varying appearances of the same object. 3 Any appearance or aspect of an object of mental apprehension or view. 4 (context astronomy English) A particular appearance or state in a regularly recurring cycle of changes with respect to quantity of illumination or form, or the absence, of its enlightened disk; as, ''the phases of the moon or planets''. Illustrated in Lunar phase. 5 (context physics English) Any one point or portion in a recurring series of changes, as in the changes of motion of one of the particles constituting a wave or vibration; one portion of a series of such changes, in distinction from a contrasted portion, as the portion on one side of a position of equilibrium, in contrast with that on the opposite side. 6 (context chemistry English) A component in a material system that is distinguished by chemical composition and/or physical state (solid, liquid or gas) and/or crystal structure. It is delineated from an adjoining phase by an abrupt change in one or more of those conditions. 7 (cx zoology English) In certain organisms, one of two or more colour variations characteristic of the species, but independent of the ordinary seasonal and sexual differences, and often also of age. 8 (context rugby union English) The period of play between consecutive breakdowns. vb. 1 (context with in or out English) To begin—if construed with "in"—or to discontinue—if construed with out—(doing) something over a period of time (i.e. in phases). 2 (archaic form of faze English)(R:Brians 2008 faze Faze/Phase) 3 (context genetics informal transitive English) To determine haplotypes in (data) when genotypes are known. 4 To pass into or through a solid object. Etymology 2

alt. (context obsolete English) Passover n. (context obsolete English) Passover

1. v. arrange in phases or stages; "phase a withdrawal"

2. adjust so as to be in a synchronized condition; "he phased the intake with the output of the machine"

1. n. (physical chemistry) a distinct state of matter in a system; matter that is identical in chemical composition and physical state and separated from other material by the phase boundary; "the reaction occurs in the liquid phase of the system" [syn: form]

2. any distinct time period in a sequence of events; "we are in a transitional stage in which many former ideas must be revised or rejected" [syn: stage]

3. a particular point in the time of a cycle; measured from some arbitrary zero and expressed as an angle [syn: phase angle]

4. (astronomy) the particular appearance of a body's state of illumination (especially one of the recurring shapes of the part of Earth's moon that is illuminated by the sun); "the full phase of the moon"

Phase or phases may refer to:

Phase is a music-themed iPod game created by Harmonix exclusively for the iPod click wheel interface. It is similar to other Harmonix games Amplitude and FreQuency.

Phase is a UK-based rock band formed in Larissa, Greece in 2003. They made a digital single ("Perdition") for Microsoft’s Playlist Seven program in Feb 2010, they released one album In Consequence in which Duncan Patterson, better known from his work with the British rock band Anathema, took part. According to Reverbnation's charts, Phase is ranked 1st nationwide in Greece. Phase climbed on #12 of Billboard's fastest rising acts powered by Next Big Sound in the week of June 23rd 2012.

In the physical sciences, a phase is a region of space (a thermodynamic system), throughout which all physical properties of a material are essentially uniform. Examples of physical properties include density, index of refraction, magnetization and chemical composition. A simple description is that a phase is a region of material that is chemically uniform, physically distinct, and (often) mechanically separable. In a system consisting of ice and water in a glass jar, the ice cubes are one phase, the water is a second phase, and the humid air over the water is a third phase. The glass of the jar is another separate phase. (See state of matter#Glass)

The term phase is sometimes used as a synonym for state of matter, but there can be several immiscible phases of the same state of matter. Also, the term phase is sometimes used to refer to a set of equilibrium states demarcated in terms of state variables such as pressure and temperature by a phase boundary on a phase diagram. Because phase boundaries relate to changes in the organization of matter, such as a change from liquid to solid or a more subtle change from one crystal structure to another, this latter usage is similar to the use of "phase" as a synonym for state of matter. However, the state of matter and phase diagram usages are not commensurate with the formal definition given above and the intended meaning must be determined in part from the context in which the term is used.

Phase is the position of a point in time (an instant) on a waveform cycle. A complete cycle is defined as the interval required for the waveform to return to its arbitrary initial value. The graphic to the right shows how one cycle constitutes 360° of phase. The graphic also shows how phase is sometimes expressed in radians, where one radian of phase equals approximately 57.3°.

Phase can also be an expression of relative displacement between two corresponding features (for example, peaks or zero crossings) of two waveforms having the same frequency.

In sinusoidal functions or in waves "phase" has two different, but closely related, meanings. One is the initial angle of a sinusoidal function at its origin and is sometimes called phase offset or phase difference. Another usage is the fraction of the wave cycle that has elapsed relative to the origin.

In archaeology, a phase refers to the logical reduction of contexts recorded during excavation to near contemporary archaeological horizons that represent a distinct "phase" of previous land use. These often but not always will be a representation of a former land surface or occupation level and all associated features that were created into or from this point in time. A simplified description of phase would be that" a phase is a view of a given Archaeological site as it would have been at time X". Examples of phases that would have no associated occupation surfaces are phases of a site that have been horizontally truncated by later phases and only elements surviving of the truncated phase are those that were below ground level and the subsequent truncation at that time. Subsequent or earlier phases are representations in changing occupation patterns and land use over time. Phase is an extremely important concept in Archeological excavation and post excavation work. Phasing is achieved by compiling smaller groups of contexts together through the use of stratification and stratigraphic excavation into ever larger units of understanding. The terminology of these sub units or collections of contexts varies depending on practitioner but the terms interface, sub-group, group, and feature are common. Phasing a site has a slightly different meaning to "digging in phase". Digging in phase is the process of stratigraphic removal of archaeological remains so as not to remove contexts that are earlier in time lower in the sequence before other contexts that have a latter physical stratigraphic relationship to them. Digging a site "in phase" is considered good practice and can be thought of as the process of removing the deposits on site in the reverse order they arrived. Phasing is achieved on site by many methods including intuition and experience but the main analytical tool post excavation is the Harris matrix. Phase is sometimes termed differently depending on practitioner, examples include the term period but in the main phase is universal.

Phase is the debut studio album by the English singer-songwriter Jack Garratt, released on 19 February 2016 by Island Records internationally and by Interscope Records in the United States. It debuted at number 3 on the UK Albums Chart on sales of 18,198.

A Phase in combat is usually a period within a military operation of a longer duration that is a part of a serial chain of logically connected activities planned to culminate in a defined objective or goal.

A phase is usually marked by achievement of significant intermediary objectives, such as tactical within an engagement. A phase may be either limited by time allocated for its execution, or unlimited in time, and defined only by achievement of the objective.

At the strategic level, a phase continue for years. Not all phases of combat include fighting between armed forces. Phases can, and usually do overlap, and sometimes can be planned for parallel execution, often as part of deception planning.

Phases typically found in offensive military operations are:

Preparation

• Intelligence gathering phase
• Operations planning phase
• Logistics management phase
• Deception and counterintelligence phase
• Assembly phase

Conduct

• Initial ( combat assault) phase
• Breakthrough phase

Exploitation

• Follow-on (support) phase
• Pursuit phase
• Objective security phase
• Position consolidation phase
• Defensive phase
• Reorganisation phase
• A lull in combat (usually unplanned)

Stability

• Enable civil authorities

PHASE is a partnership between several international non-governmental organisations ( NGOs) registered in Austria, Nepal, the United States of America (USA) and the United Kingdom (UK). The organisations specialise in improving health and education services and livelihood opportunities for disadvantaged populations and most of this work takes place in Nepal. PHASE aims to support the most vulnerable (women, children, low castes, the very poor and people with disabilities) to break the cycle of poverty. It assists communities and local authorities to work together in creating a self-sufficient future. The acronym, PHASE, stands for "Practical Help Achieving Self Empowerment" and describes the working ethic of the organisations.