View all headers

Path: senator-bedfellow.mit.edu!faqserv
From: Robert F. Heeter <rfheeter@princeton.edu>
Newsgroups: sci.physics.fusion,sci.answers,news.answers
Subject: Conventional Fusion FAQ Glossary Part 11/26 (K)
Supersedes: <fusion-faq/glossary/k_934543711@rtfm.mit.edu>
Followup-To: sci.physics.fusion
Date: 11 Nov 1999 12:25:38 GMT
Organization: Princeton University
Lines: 104
Approved: news-answers-request@MIT.EDU
Distribution: world
Expires: 23 Feb 2000 12:24:17 GMT
Message-ID: <fusion-faq/glossary/k_942323057@rtfm.mit.edu>
References: <fusion-faq/glossary/intro_942323057@rtfm.mit.edu>
Reply-To: rfheeter@pppl.gov
NNTP-Posting-Host: penguin-lust.mit.edu
Summary: Fusion energy represents a promising alternative to 
         fossil fuels and nuclear fission for world energy 
         production. This Glossary is a compendium of Frequently Used
         Terms in Plasma Physics and Fusion Energy Research.  Refer
         to the FAQ on Conventional Fusion for more detailed info
         about topics in fusion research.  This Glossary does NOT 
         discuss unconventional forms of fusion (like Cold Fusion).
X-Last-Updated: 1995/02/07
Originator: faqserv@penguin-lust.MIT.EDU
Xref: senator-bedfellow.mit.edu sci.physics.fusion:44259 sci.answers:10856 news.answers:170842

View main headers

===============================================================
Glossary Part 11:  Terms beginning with "K"

FREQUENTLY USED TERMS IN CONVENTIONAL FUSION RESEARCH 
AND PLASMA PHYSICS

Edited by Robert F. Heeter, rfheeter@pppl.gov

Guide to Categories:
 
* = plasma/fusion/energy vocabulary
& = basic physics vocabulary 
> = device type or machine name
# = name of a constant or variable
! = scientists 
@ = acronym
% = labs & political organizations
$ = unit of measurement

The list of Acknowledgements is in Part 0 (intro).
==================================================================

KKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK

# k: Mathematical symbol usually used for Boltzmann's Constant.
Value is 1.4 x 10^-23 Joules/Kelvin (in SI units), 
or 1.4 x 10^-16 ergs/Kelvin (in cgs units).

$ kA:  KiloAmpere; see kilo, Ampere

@ KDP:  Potassium Dihydrogen Phosphate; crystal used in frequency
conversion of Nd:glass laser light.

$ kW:  KiloWatt (1000 watts); see also kilo, Watt

$ kWh:  kilowatt-hour; see entry

& Kelvin: (K) temperature scale where zero degrees corresponds
to absolute zero (no thermal energy); degrees have same
size as in Celsius/centigrade scale.  273.16 K = zero C;
373.16 = 100 C.

! (Lord) Kelvin:  honorary name given to William Thompson; 19th 
century British physicist (many contributions in many subfields).

* Kerma:  Kinetic Energy (of charged particles) produced by 
ionizing Radiation per unit MAss of irradiated material.  (ergs/gm)

& kilo:  metric prefix used to indicate 1000 times the following
unit.  e.g., a kiloampere is 1000 amperes.

$ kilowatt-hour:  standard unit of electrical energy; equals one
kilowatt of power delivered for one hour.  Equivalent to 3.6
million joules.

* Kinetic Pressure:  Density of kinetic energy (energy in the
thermal motions of the plasma particles).  For an ideal plasma,
pressure is given by p = nkT, that is:

        pressure = (density) * (Boltzmann's constant)* (temperature), 

* Kinetic Temperature:  A measure of the energy of random motion
(kinetic energy) of an assembly of particles in thermodynamic
equilibrium.

* Kinetic Theory:  A theory which attempts to explain the behavior
of physical systems using the assumptions that the systems are
composed of large numbers of atoms/molecules/particles in 
vigorous motion, that energy and momentum are conserved in
collisions of these particles, and that statistical methods can
be applied to deduce the behavior of such systems.

* Kink Instability:  Instability resulting from excessive growth
of a kink mode; see kink mode.

* Kink Mode:  Class of MHD instabilities which sometimes develop
in a thin plasma column carrying a strong axial current.  If a
kink begins to develop in such a column the magnetic forces on 
the inside of the kink become larger than those on the outside,
so that in general it tends to grow in magnitude.  The column
then becomes unstable and can be displaced into the walls of
the discharge chamber, causing a disruption.

& Klystron:  An evacuated electron-beam tube in which electrons
are given initial velocities such that the beam's charge density
is modulated; the passage of a modulated current generates
microwave radiation, some of which is then fed back to modulate the
electrons' velocities.  The result is a microwave amplifier.

* Kruskal Limit:  In tokamaks, a theoretical limiting value for 
plasma current beyond which MHD instabilities are predicted.