Oscilloscopic

1 definition found

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

  oscilloscope \os*cil"lo*scope\, n. [L. oscillare to swing +
     -scope.]
     An electronic measuring instrument which provides a visual
     representation of the time variation of electrical
     quantities, such as voltage or current. It may be used to
     measure the shape of a voltage pulse or the frequency of an


     oscillating voltage. It can also be used to measure
     properties of other physical variables, such as sound or
     light intensity, if they can be translated into electrical
     voltage or current.
  
     Note: The common cathode-ray oscilloscope uses a cathode-ray
           tube to project a beam of electrons onto the interior
           of a nearly flat surface surface of the tube, which is
           coated with a material which fluoresces when struck by
           the moving electrons. The location of the beam of
           electrons on the target surface is controlled by
           electrodes surrounding the point of origin of the beam,
           which control the horizontal and vertical deflection.
           The degree of deflection from the vertical center can
           be made to represent the electrical variable to be
           measured. The cathode-ray oscilloscope is similar in
           many respects to the most common form of television
           tube. -- {os*cil"lo*scop`ic}, a.
  
     Syn: scope, cathode-ray oscilloscope, CRO
          [WordNet 1.5 +PJC]