penetrometer

[ pen-i-trom-i-ter ]

noun
  1. a device for measuring the penetrating power of x-ray or other radiations.

  2. a device for measuring the penetrability of a solid.

Origin of penetrometer

1
First recorded in 1900–05; penetr(ate) + -o- + -meter

Words Nearby penetrometer

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

British Dictionary definitions for penetrometer

penetrometer

/ (ˌpɛnɪˈtrɒmɪtə) /


noun
  1. physics an instrument used to measure the penetrating power of radiation, such as X-rays

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for penetrometer

penetrometer

[ pĕn′ĭ-trŏmĭ-tər ]


  1. A device for measuring the penetrating power of electromagnetic radiation, especially x-rays.

  2. A device for measuring the denseness, compaction, or penetrability of a substance, such as soil, agricultural produce, or semisolid petroleum products. A penetrometer typically measures the resistance of the substance to penetration to a given depth by a weight-driven cone or needle of a given shape.

The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.