air gap

American  

noun

1. Electricity. the space between two objects magnetically related, as between the rotor and the stator in a dynamo, or between two objects electrically related, as between the electrode and the tip of a spark plug.

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Etymology

Origin of air gap

First recorded in 1895–1900

Example Sentences

If you have an air gap, some of the heat goes down, not up.

From Seattle Times • Jan. 25, 2024

Its fire resistance comes from a two-layer construction, with an air gap in between for added insulation.

From Scientific American • Jul. 25, 2022

I have tried cleaning the glass inside and out, but the etching appears to be on the glass facing the air gap between the panes.

From Washington Post • Jan. 8, 2021

But some smaller and locally focused electricity providers fall short in creating an impenetrable wall around industrial controls, often referred to as an air gap.

From Washington Times • Oct. 11, 2017

Hence the reluctance of the air gap is 0.1 = 1 C.G.S. unit.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 9, Slice 2 "Ehud" to "Electroscope" by Various