astatic
Americanadjective
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unstable; unsteady.
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Physics. having no tendency to take a definite position or direction.
adjective
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not static; unstable
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physics
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having no tendency to assume any particular position or orientation
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(of a galvanometer) having two mutually compensating magnets arranged so that the instrument is independent of the earth's magnetic field
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Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of astatic
1820–30; < Greek ástat ( os ) not steadfast, unstable ( a- a- 6 + statós standing) + -ic; see static
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The presence of the current is easily shown with the astatic detectors.
From How Two Boys Made Their Own Electrical Apparatus Containing Complete Directions for Making All Kinds of Simple Apparatus for the Study of Elementary Electricity by Thomas M. (Thomas Matthew) St. John
We can increase the strength of the field about the needle, and at the same time decrease its pointing-power by using an astatic needle.
From How Two Boys Made Their Own Electrical Apparatus Containing Complete Directions for Making All Kinds of Simple Apparatus for the Study of Elementary Electricity by Thomas M. (Thomas Matthew) St. John
In a form of astatic needle galvanometer devised by Professor A. Broca of Paris, the pair of magnetized needles are suspended vertically and parallel to each other with poles in opposite directions.
From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 11, Slice 4 "G" to "Gaskell, Elizabeth" by Various
Electrical Measurement.—Faraday’s ideas thus pressed upon electricians the necessity for the quantitative measurement of electrical phenomena.10 It has been already mentioned that Schweigger invented in 1820 the “multiplier,” and Nobili in 1825 the astatic galvanometer.
From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 9, Slice 2 "Ehud" to "Electroscope" by Various
Such a helix is caused to stand between the two poles N's' of an astatic system.
From Fragments of science, V. 1-2 by John Tyndall
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
