Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- adjective Unsteady; unstable.
- adjective Physics Having no particular directional characteristics.
from The Century Dictionary.
- Unstable; unsteady.
- Hence In physical, having no tendency to take a definite (fixed) position; without directive power: used especially of a magnetic needle whose directive property has been neutralized.
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- adjective (Magnetism) Having little or no tendency to take a fixed or definite position or direction: thus, a suspended magnetic needle, when rendered
astatic , loses its polarity, or tendency to point in a given direction. - adjective (Magnetism) a pair of magnetic needles so mounted as to be nearly or quite astatic, as in some galvanometers.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- adjective Not
static orstable ;unsteady ,unstable - adjective medicine Of or pertaining to
astasia
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- adjective not static or stable
Etymologies
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
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Examples
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Quartz fibres have two great advantages over other forms of suspension when employed for any kind of torsion balance, from an ordinary more or less "astatic" galvanometer to the Cavendish apparatus.
On Laboratory Arts Richard Threlfall
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Horizontal and vertical astatic system are also used -- Figs. 18, 18a.
Scientific American Supplement, No. 643, April 28, 1888 Various
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By this the astatic needle is suspended and protected from air currents.
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This coil, etc., may be used in connection with an astatic needle.
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For a description of the wood-work, coil, etc., see App. 112; for the astatic needle see App. 69; for the method of supporting the needle see App. 113, Fig. 86.
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This magnet is capable of rendering the needle less sensitive or of making it astatic.
Scientific American Supplement, No. 421, January 26, 1884 Various
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There is much worry and misery in the world because so many are astatic, like a compass that has lost its loadstone.
Evening Round Up More Good Stuff Like Pep William Crosbie Hunter
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The most convenient way will be to use two coils, one on each side of the astatic needle.
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The loafing or astatic mind will fall into morbid tendencies.
Evening Round Up More Good Stuff Like Pep William Crosbie Hunter
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Hang the astatic needle so that the wire between the two parts will not quite touch the coil.
jmjarmstrong commented on the word astatic
JM is one half of an astatic pair.
July 31, 2010