Erg

2 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Erg \Erg\, n. [Gr. ? work.] (Physics)
     The unit of work or energy in the C. G. S. system, being the
     amount of work done by a dyne working through a distance of
     one centimeter; the amount of energy expended in moving a
     body one centimeter against a force of one dyne (981 dynes
     exert the same force as a one gram mass in the earth's


     gravitational field). One foot pound is equal to 13,560,000
     ergs. The absolute Joule is equivalent to 10^{7} ergs, which
     are equivalent to 0.2389 gram-calories at 15[deg] C. See also
     {mechanical equivalent of heat} under {equivalent}.
     [1913 Webster +PJC]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  erg
       n : a cgs unit of work or energy; the work done by a force of
           one dyne acting over a distance of one centimeter