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Glossary F
Farad: The unit of capacitance. "F" This is a very large value and the most common units are microfarad (uF) and nanofarad (n).
Feedback: Occurs when some or all of the output of the device (such as an amplifier) is taken back to the input. This may be accidental (such as the acoustic feedback from a speaker to microphone) or intentional , to reduce distortion.
Ferrite Rod Aerial: A coil of wire wound on a ferrite material to increase the inductance of the coil. It's signal capturing capability.
Field Effect Transistor (FET): A transistor that makes use of the field established in a p-type channel semiconductor material to control the flow of current through the channel.
Firmware: Programs stored in PROMs.
Flag: Any of various types of indicators used for identification of a condition or event; for example, a character that signals the termination of a transmission.
Flip Flop: An astable multivibrator. A square wave oscillator that has no stable states. Also half a shift register. Flip Flops can be unclocked and triggered by the input pulses or CLOCKED by a clock pulse to a special clock input.
Floppy Disk: A small, flexible disk carrying a magnetic medium in which digital data is stored for later retrieval and use.
FM Frequency Modulation: Where voltage levels change the frequency of a carrier wave.
Focus: The oscilloscope control that adjusts the CRT electron beams to control the sharpness of the display.
FORTRAN: Formula Translation language. A widely used high-level programming language well suited to problems that can be expressed in terms of algebraic formulas. It is generally used in scientific applications.
Forward Bias: also called forward voltage.
Frequency: The number of cycles over a specified time period over which an event occurs. The reciprocal is called the period. It is measured in Hertz (cycles per second). The frequency equals 1/period.
Frequency Modulation FM: Modulation where the frequency of the sinewave carrier alters with the amplitude of the modulating signal.
Frequency of Vibration: The number of cycles occurring in a given unit of time. RPM - revolutions per minute. CPM- cycles per minute.
Frequency Output: An output in the form of frequency which varies as a function of the applied input.
Frequency, Natural: The frequency of free (not forced) oscillations of the sensing element of a fully assembled transducer.
Full Bridge: A Wheatstone bridge configuration utilizing four active elements or strain gages.
Full Scale Deflection FSD: The maximum value on the scale of an instrument.
Full Scale Output: The algebraic difference between the minimum output and maximum output.
Fuse: a short length of wire that will easily burn out when excessive current flows.