Mechanical Engineering, LIP-MUF

Mechanical engineering, the branch of engineering concerned with the design, manufacture, installation, and operation of engines and machines and with manufacturing processes. It is particularly concerned with forces and motion.
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Mechanical Engineering Encyclopedia Articles By Title

Lippisch, Alexander M
Alexander M. Lippisch was a German-American aerodynamicist whose designs of tailless and delta-winged aircraft......
list of engines
This is an alphabetically ordered list of engines. (See also engineering; mechanical engineering;...
list of weapons
This is a list of weapons organized alphabetically by...
list of weights and measures
This is a list of weights and measures, arranged by type of unit. The measurement system in which it is used is......
Lister, Joseph Jackson
Joseph Jackson Lister was an English amateur opticist whose discoveries played an important role in perfecting......
litre
litre (l), unit of volume in the metric system, equal to one cubic decimetre (0.001 cubic metre). From 1901 to......
log
log, instrument for measuring the speed of a ship through water. The first practical log, developed about 1600,......
logic design
logic design, basic organization of the circuitry of a digital computer. All digital computers are based on a two-valued......
longbow
longbow, bow commonly 6 feet (1.8 metres) tall and the predominant missile weapon of the English in the Hundred......
Loschmidt, Joseph
Joseph Loschmidt was a German chemist who made advances in the study of aromatic hydrocarbons. The son of poor......
lubrication
lubrication, introduction of any of various substances between sliding surfaces to reduce wear and friction. Nature......
Ludwig, Carl F.W.
Carl F.W. Ludwig was a founder of the physicochemical school of physiology in Germany. A professor of physiology......
Luening, Otto
Otto Luening was an American composer, conductor, composition teacher, and flutist noted for his innovative experiments......
Luger pistol
Luger pistol, semiautomatic German hand weapon first manufactured in 1900 for both military and commercial use.......
lumen
lumen, unit of luminous flux, or amount of light, defined as the amount streaming outward through one steradian......
lunar calendar
lunar calendar, any dating system based on a year consisting of synodic months—i.e., complete cycles of phases......
lux
lux, unit of illumination (see luminous intensity) in the International System of Units (SI). One lux (Latin for......
M16 rifle
M16 rifle, assault rifle developed as the AR-15 by American engineer Eugene Stoner of ArmaLite Inc. in the late......
Mach, Ernst
Ernst Mach was an Austrian physicist and philosopher who established important principles of optics, mechanics,......
machine
machine, device, having a unique purpose, that augments or replaces human or animal effort for the accomplishment......
machine gun
machine gun, automatic weapon of small calibre that is capable of sustained rapid fire. Most machine guns are belt-fed......
machine tool
machine tool, any stationary power-driven machine that is used to shape or form parts made of metal or other materials.......
MAG machine gun
MAG machine gun, general-purpose machine gun used primarily as a tank- or vehicle-mounted weapon, although it is......
magnetic survey
magnetic survey, one of the tools used by exploration geophysicists in their search for mineral-bearing ore bodies......
magnetometer
magnetometer, instrument for measuring the strength and sometimes the direction of magnetic fields, including those......
magneton
magneton, unit of magnetic moment (the product of a magnet’s pole strength and the distance between its poles)......
magnetron
magnetron, diode vacuum tube consisting of a cylindrical (straight wire) cathode and a coaxial anode, between which......
magnification
magnification, in optics, the size of an image relative to the size of the object creating it. Linear (sometimes......
mandrel
mandrel, cylinder, usually steel, used to support a partly machined workpiece while it is being finished, or as......
March
March, third month of the Gregorian calendar. It was named after Mars, the Roman god of war. Originally, March......
Marconi, Guglielmo
Guglielmo Marconi was an Italian physicist and inventor of a successful wireless telegraph, or radio (1896). In......
Marcus, Siegfried
Siegfried Marcus was an inventor who built four of the world’s earliest gasoline-powered automobiles. Marcus became......
Marey, Étienne-Jules
Étienne-Jules Marey was a French physiologist who invented the sphygmograph, an instrument for recording graphically......
maser
maser, device that produces and amplifies electromagnetic radiation in the microwave range of the spectrum. The......
Masham, Samuel Cunliffe Lister, 1st Baron
Samuel Cunliffe Lister, 1st Baron Masham was an English inventor whose contributions included a wool-combing machine......
matchlock
matchlock, in firearms, a device for igniting gunpowder developed in the 15th century, a major advance in the manufacture......
materials testing
materials testing, measurement of the characteristics and behaviour of such substances as metals, ceramics, or......
Mathieu, Claude-Louis
Claude-Louis Mathieu was a French astronomer and mathematician who worked particularly on the determination of......
Matzeliger, Jan Ernst
Jan Ernst Matzeliger was an inventor best known for his shoe-lasting machine that mechanically shaped the upper......
Maudslay, Henry
Henry Maudslay was a British engineer and inventor of the metal lathe and other devices. The son of a workman at......
Mauser rifle
Mauser rifle, any of a family of bolt-action rifles designed by Peter Paul Mauser (1838–1914), a German who had......
Maxim machine gun
Maxim machine gun, first fully automatic machine gun (q.v.), developed by engineer and inventor Hiram Maxim in......
May
May, fifth month of the Gregorian calendar. It was named after Maia, a Roman fertility...
measurement
measurement, the process of associating numbers with physical quantities and phenomena. Measurement is fundamental......
measurement system
measurement system, any of the systems used in the process of associating numbers with physical quantities and......
Mechain, Pierre
Pierre Mechain was a French astronomer and hydrographer who, with Jean Delambre, measured the meridian arc from......
mechanical advantage
mechanical advantage, force-amplifying effectiveness of a simple machine, such as a lever, an inclined plane, a......
mechanical efficiency
mechanical efficiency, measure of the effectiveness with which a mechanical system performs. It is usually the......
mechanism
mechanism, in mechanical construction, the means employed to transmit and modify motion in a machine or any assemblage......
Meissner, Alexander
Alexander Meissner was an Austrian engineer whose work in antenna design, amplification, and detection advanced......
memristor
memristor, one of the four fundamental passive electrical components (those that do not produce energy), the others......
Mendenhall, Thomas Corwin
Thomas Corwin Mendenhall was an American physicist and meteorologist, the first to propose the use of a ring pendulum......
mercury barometer
mercury barometer, device used to measure atmospheric pressure with a column of mercury. The mercury barometer......
Metonic cycle
Metonic cycle, in chronology, a period of 19 years in which there are 235 lunations, or synodic months, after which......
metre
metre (m), in measurement, fundamental unit of length in the metric system and in the International Systems of......
metric system
metric system, international decimal system of weights and measures, based on the metre for length and the kilogram......
metrology
metrology, the science of measurement. From three fundamental quantities, length, mass, and time, all other mechanical......
metrētēs
metrētēs, primary liquid measure of the ancient Greeks, equivalent to 39.4 litres, or about 9 gallons. In the Greek......
MG42
MG42, German general-purpose machine gun, used as a standard weapon by many armies around the world. The MG42 was......
Michelson interferometer
Michelson interferometer, optical instrument that splits a beam of light in two, sends the parts along perpendicular......
microelectromechanical system
microelectromechanical system (MEMS), mechanical parts and electronic circuits combined to form miniature devices,......
micrometer
micrometer, instrument for making precise linear measurements of dimensions such as diameters, thicknesses, and......
micrometre
micrometre, metric unit of measure for length equal to 0.001 mm, or about 0.000039 inch. Its symbol is μm. The......
microphone
microphone, device for converting acoustic power into electric power that has essentially similar wave characteristics.......
microprocessor
microprocessor, any of a type of miniature electronic device that contains the arithmetic, logic, and control circuitry......
microwave oven
microwave oven, appliance that cooks food by means of high-frequency electromagnetic waves called microwaves. A......
MiG
MiG, any member of a family of Soviet military fighter aircraft produced by a design bureau founded in 1939 by......
MiG-15
MiG-15, single-seat, single-engine Soviet jet fighter, built by the Mikoyan-Gurevich design bureau and first flown......
mile
mile, any of various units of distance, such as the statute mile of 5,280 feet (1.609 km). It originated from the......
millennium
millennium, a period of 1,000 years. The Gregorian calendar, put forth in 1582 and subsequently adopted by most......
millibar
millibar, unit of air pressure in the metric system, commonly used in meteorology, equal to 100 pascals, 1,000......
millimetre
millimetre (mm), unit of length equal to 0.001 metre in the metric system and the equivalent of 0.03937...
milling machine
milling machine, device that rotates a circular tool that has a number of cutting edges symmetrically arranged......
mina
mina, earliest of all known units of weight. It was created by the Babylonians and used by the Hittites, Phoenicians,......
mine
mine, in military and naval operations, a usually stationary explosive device that is designed to destroy personnel,......
minority carrier injection
minority carrier injection, in electronics, a process taking place at the boundary between p-type and n-type semiconductor......
minute
minute, in timekeeping, 60 seconds, now defined in terms of radiation emitted from atoms of the element cesium......
Minuteman missile
Minuteman missile, intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) that has been the mainstay of the land-based nuclear......
Mirage
Mirage, any member of a family of combat aircraft produced by the Dassault-Breguet aeronautics firm of France.......
mirror
mirror, any polished surface that diverts a ray of light according to the law of reflection. The typical mirror......
MIRV
MIRV, any of several nuclear warheads carried on the front end, or “bus,” of a ballistic missile. Each MIRV allows......
missile
missile, a rocket-propelled weapon designed to deliver an explosive warhead with great accuracy at high speed.......
mole
mole, in chemistry, a standard scientific unit for measuring large quantities of very small entities such as atoms,......
Molotov cocktail
Molotov cocktail, a crude bomb, typically consisting of a bottle filled with a flammable liquid and a wick that......
moment magnitude
moment magnitude (MW), quantitative measure of an earthquake’s magnitude (or relative size), developed in the 1970s......
Monday
Monday, second day of the week...
monolithic filter
monolithic filter, a complete frequency-selective filter constructed on a single piezoelectric crystal plate. A......
Monotype
Monotype, (trademark), in commercial printing, typesetting machine patented by Tolbert Lanston in 1885 that produces......
month
month, a measure of time corresponding or nearly corresponding to the length of time required by the Moon to revolve......
Morey, Samuel
Samuel Morey was an American inventor. With support from Robert R. Livingston, Morey experimented with steamboats......
Morgan, John Pierpont, Jr.
John Pierpont Morgan, Jr. was an American banker and financier, the head of the Morgan investment banking house......
Morita Akio
Morita Akio was a Japanese businessman who was cofounder, chief executive officer (from 1971), and chairman of......
mortar
mortar, portable, short-barreled, muzzle-loading artillery piece that fires explosive projectiles at low velocities,......
mortar and pestle
mortar and pestle, ancient device for milling by pounding. The mortar is a durable bowl commonly made of stone,......
Mosquito
Mosquito, British twin-engine two-seat mid-wing bomber aircraft that was adapted to become the prime night fighter......
Motorola, Inc.
Motorola, Inc., American manufacturer and one of the historic brands of wireless communications and electronic......
mou
mou, Chinese unit of land measurement that varies with location but is commonly 806.65 square yards (0.165 acre,......
muffler
muffler, device through which the exhaust gases from an internal-combustion engine are passed to attenuate (reduce)......

Mechanical Engineering Encyclopedia Articles By Title