Glossary
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Dyne:
the force required to accelerate 1 g of mass at 1 cm per second; 1 dyne = 10- 5 newtons |
Energy:
the ability or capacity to do work; in physics, essentially synonymous
with work |
Energy density:
energy per unit area; in lasers, units = joules/cm2 |
Erg:
a dyne-centimeter; the work or energy of 1 dyne applied over a distance
of 1 cm; a unit of energy; 1 erg = 10- 7 joules |
Joule:
a newton-meter; the work or energy of 1 newton applied over a distance
of 1 meter; a unit of energy; 1 joule = 107 ergs |
Nanosecond:
a billionth (10- 9) of a second |
Newton:
the force needed to accelerate 1 kg of mass at 1 meter per second per
second; 1 newton = 105 dynes |
Picosecond:
a trillionth (10- 12) of a second |
Power:
energy per unit of time; how fast energy is produced or transferred |
Power density:
power per unit area; in lasers, units = watts/cm2 |
Watt:
one joule per second; a unit of power |
Work:
“force times distance”; the product of a force and the distance
through which it produces displacement; synonymous with energy |