- Industry: Aviation
- Number of terms: 16387
- Number of blossaries: 0
- Company Profile:
Aviation Supplies & Academics, Inc. (ASA) develops and markets aviation supplies, software, and books for pilots, flight instructors, flight engineers, airline professionals, air traffic controllers, flight attendants, aviation technicians and enthusiasts. Established in 1947, ASA also provides ...
A chemical element with four electrons in its valence shell. Carbon, silicon, germanium, tin, and lead are quadrivalent elements.
Industry:Aviation
A chemical element with three electrons in its valence, or outer, shell. Boron, aluminum, gallium, and indium are trivalent elements.
Industry:Aviation
A chemical reaction in which a material, called the fuel, combines with oxygen so rapidly that a large amount of energy is released in the form of heat and light. Combustion and burning mean essentially the same thing.
Industry:Aviation
A chemical reaction in which several small molecules join together to form larger molecules. The larger molecules are made up of repeating structural units of the original molecules. Polymerization often causes liquid materials to change into a jelly.
Industry:Aviation
A chemical solution used to form an airtight oxide or phosphate film on the surface of aluminum or magnesium parts. The conversion coating prevents air reaching the metal and keeps it from corroding.
Industry:Aviation
A chemical solution used to remove oil and grease from a part. Stoddard solvent and naphtha are two popular degreasers used in aircraft maintenance shops.
Industry:Aviation
A chemical solution, either a liquid or a gas, that conducts electrical current by releasing ions (unbalanced atoms) that unite with oppositely charged ions on the electrodes. Negative ions, atoms having an excess of electrons, move through the electrolyte to the positive electrode. Positive ions, atoms having a deficiency of electrons, move to the negative electrode.
A lead-acid battery uses an electrolyte of sulfuric acid and water. When the battery is being charged, negative sulfate ions from the plates join positive hydrogen ions in the water and form sulfuric acid. When the battery discharges, negative sulfate ions leave the electrolyte and go to both plates. Positive hydrogen ions left from the sulfuric acid join negative oxygen ions from the positive plate and form water.
The condition of charge of a lead-acid battery can be determined by measuring the specific gravity of the electrolyte with a hydrometer. The specific gravity shows the amount of acid in the electrolyte.
Industry:Aviation
A chemical substance that contains hydrogen, has a characteristically sour taste, and is prone to react with a base, or alkali, to form a salt and to accept electrons from the alkali.
Industry:Aviation
A chemical substance, usually the hydroxide of a metal. An alkali has a characteristically bitter taste and is prone to react with an acid, furnishing the electrons to form a salt.
Industry:Aviation
A chemical used to extinguish a fire. A fire extinguishing agent can extinguish a fire by reducing the temperature of the fuel to a value below its kindling point, by excluding oxygen from the fire, or by preventing the oxygen combining with the fuel. Carbon dioxide, water, Halon 1211, and Halon 1301 are fire extinguishing agents used in aircraft fire protection systems.
Industry:Aviation
