working substance

noun

1. a substance, usually a fluid, that undergoes changes in pressure, temperature, volume, or form as part of a process for accomplishing work.

working substance

noun

1. the fluid, esp water, steam, or compressed air, that operates an engine, refrigerator, etc

Word History and Origins

Origin of working substance¹

First recorded in 1895–1900

Example Sentences

We can obtain another important result for the case of the working substance in two phases from equation (B).

From Project Gutenberg