Core mechanical, electrical and electronic terms, defined the way we use them across chipvortex.com — plainly, and with a real-world anchor. This dictionary grows with the site; request a term any time.
Electrical & electronics
Alternating current (AC) — Current that reverses direction many times per second; what wall outlets supply.
Capacitor — A component that stores energy in an electric field and releases it quickly; think of a small, fast-emptying bucket.
Current — The flow of electric charge, measured in amperes. In the water analogy, it is the flow rate.
Diode — A one-way valve for current: it conducts in one direction and blocks the other.
Direct current (DC) — Current flowing in a single direction; what batteries supply.
Microcontroller — A small computer on a single chip that reads sensors and controls outputs; the brain of most gadgets.
Ohm’s law — Voltage equals current times resistance (V = I × R); the single most useful relationship in electronics.
Resistor — A component that restricts current flow, like a narrowing in a pipe.
Semiconductor — A material (usually silicon) whose conductivity can be precisely controlled — the foundation of all modern chips.
Short circuit — An unintended low-resistance path that lets excessive current flow, causing heat, damage or fire.
Transistor — A tiny electronic switch or amplifier; billions of them make up a processor.
Voltage — Electrical pressure that pushes current through a circuit, measured in volts.
Mechanical
Bearing — A component that lets parts rotate or slide against each other with minimal friction.
Fatigue — The weakening and eventual cracking of a material under repeated load cycles — a central concern in aircraft structures.
Gear ratio — The relationship between the speeds of two meshing gears; it trades speed for torque or vice versa.
Hydraulics — Power transmission using pressurised liquid; small pumps can move enormous loads.
Pneumatics — Power transmission using compressed gas, typically air.
Stress and strain — Stress is the internal force per unit area in a material; strain is how much it deforms in response.
Tolerance — The allowable variation in a manufactured dimension. Tight tolerances cost money; loose ones cost fit.
Torque — Rotational force, measured in newton-metres — what tightens a bolt or turns a shaft.
Thermodynamics & propulsion
Brayton cycle — The thermodynamic cycle of a jet engine: compress, heat, expand, exhaust.
Bypass ratio — On a turbofan, the ratio of air flowing around the core to air flowing through it. High bypass means quiet and efficient.
Combustion — The controlled burning of fuel with air to release energy.
Compressor — The stage of a turbine engine that squeezes incoming air to high pressure before combustion.
Turbine — The stage that extracts energy from hot expanding gas to drive the compressor and fan.
Measurement & practice
Calibration — Checking and adjusting an instrument against a known standard so its readings can be trusted.
Multimeter — The essential handheld tool that measures voltage, current and resistance.
Redundancy — Duplicating critical systems so a single failure never causes total loss — why airliners have multiple hydraulic systems.
Schematic — A symbolic diagram of a circuit showing connections rather than physical layout.
Torque wrench — A wrench that measures applied torque, so fasteners are tightened to specification rather than to feel.
Last updated: August 7, 2026. See also the Aircraft Glossary and Aviation Acronyms.