Dielectric

From ExoDictionary
Jump to: navigation, search
This definition page has been automatically generated.
You can help ExoDictionary by expanding, updating, or correcting it.


This autostub has not yet had its initial copyediting proof and may contain significant formatting and even factual errors. You can improve Exodictionary by cleaning up the page markup and verifying that the definition is correct and then removing this tag.


This autostub has not yet had its initial categorization proof and may be categorized incorrectly. You can improve Exodictionary by removing inappropriate categories and then removing this tag.


Dielectric

</dt>
A substance that contains few or no free charges and which can support electrostatic stresses. </dd>
In an electromagnetic field, the centers of the nonpolar molecules of a dielectric are displaced, and the polar molecules become oriented close to the field. The net effect is the appearance of charges at the boundaries of the dielectric. The frictional work done in orientation absorbs energy from the field which appears as heat. When the field is removed the orientation is lost by thermal agitation and so the energy is not regained. If free-charge carriers are present they too can absorb energy.
A good dielectric is one in which the absorption is a minimum. A vacuum is the only perfect dielectric. The quality of an imperfect dielectric is its dielectric strength; and the accumulation of charges within an imperfect dielectric is termed dielectric absorption. </dd>

References

This article is based on NASA's Dictionary of Technical Terms for Aerospace Use