Constantan

2 definitions found

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

  constantan \constantan\ n.
     a copper-nickel alloy composed of approximately 55 per cent
     copper and 45 per cent nickel, with high electrical
     resistance and a low temperature coefficient; it is used as
     resistance wire and in thermocouples.
  


     Note: It has a resistance factor [rho] of 44.1 x 10^{-6}
           ohm-cm at 0[deg] C, in comparison to the value 1.71 x
           10^{-6} ohm-cm for pure copper and 7.8 x 10^{-6} ohm-cm
           for pure nickel. It is similar to the alloy Eureka,
           which has a [rho] = 47 x 10^{-6} ohm-cm. --Handbook of
           Ch. 61.
           [WordNet 1.5 +PJC]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  constantan
       n : a copper-nickel alloy with high electrical resistance and a
           low temperature coefficient; used as resistance wire
           [syn: {Eureka}]