Crossword clues for potentiometer
The Collaborative International Dictionary
Potentiometer \Po*ten`ti*om"e*ter\, n. [Potential + -meter.] (Elec.) An instrument for measuring or comparing electrial potentials or electro-motive forces.
Douglas Harper's Etymology Dictionary
1868, a hybrid formed from comb. form of Latin potentia "power" (see potential) + Greek-derived -meter.
Wiktionary
alt. 1 (context electronics English) A user-adjustable variable resistor that functions as a voltage divider. 2 (context physics English) An instrument that measures a voltage by opposing it with a precise fraction of a known voltage, and without drawing current from the unknown source. n. 1 (context electronics English) A user-adjustable variable resistor that functions as a voltage divider. 2 (context physics English) An instrument that measures a voltage by opposing it with a precise fraction of a known voltage, and without drawing current from the unknown source.
WordNet
n. a measuring instrument for measuring direct current electromotive forces
a resistor with three terminals, the third being an adjustable center terminal; used to adjust voltages in radios and TV sets [syn: pot]
Wikipedia
A potentiometer, informally a pot, is a three- terminal resistor with a sliding or rotating contact that forms an adjustable voltage divider. If only two terminals are used, one end and the wiper, it acts as a variable resistor or rheostat.
The measuring instrument called a potentiometer is essentially a voltage divider used for measuring electric potential (voltage); the component is an implementation of the same principle, hence its name.
Potentiometers are commonly used to control electrical devices such as volume controls on audio equipment. Potentiometers operated by a mechanism can be used as position transducers, for example, in a joystick. Potentiometers are rarely used to directly control significant power (more than a watt), since the power dissipated in the potentiometer would be comparable to the power in the controlled load.
A potentiometer is an instrument for measuring the potential (voltage) in a circuit. Before the introduction of the moving coil and digital volt meters, potentiometers were used in measuring voltage. The method was described by Johann Christian Poggendorff around 1841 and became a standard laboratory measuring technique.
In this arrangement, a fraction of a known voltage from a resistive slide wire is compared with an unknown voltage by means of a galvanometer. The sliding contact or wiper of the potentiometer is adjusted and the galvanometer briefly connected between the sliding contact and the unknown voltage. The deflection of the galvanometer is observed and the sliding tap adjusted until the galvanometer no longer deflects from zero. At that point the galvanometer draws no current from the unknown source, and the magnitude of voltage can be calculated from the position of the sliding contact.
This null balance measuring method is still important in electrical metrology and standards work and is also used in other areas of electronics.
Measurement potentiometers are divided into four main classes listed below.
Usage examples of "potentiometer".
Breckenridge sat motionless, his eyes flashing from, micrometer screen to signal panel, his sensitive fingers moving the potentiometers through minute arcs because of what he saw upon the screen and in response to the flashing, multicolored lights and tinkling signals of his board.
I watched with interest while the potentiometers recorded their findings, which were then analyzed by computer.