APPENDIX I GLOSSARY

AI-1 APPENDIX I GLOSSARY ALUMINUM CREEP—The movement of aluminum wire away from a point where pressure is applied. (2) The retreat of heated aluminum wire as it cools. AMBIENT TEMPERATURE—The "surrounding temperature"—as the temperature surrounding a conductor in a compartment or within a piece of equipment. AMERICAN WIRE GAUGE (AWG)— The standards adopted in the United States for the measurement of wire sizes. ANTISEIZE COMPOUND—A silicon-based, high-temperature lubricant applied to threaded components to facilitate their removal after being subjected to rapid heating and cooling. ASBESTOS—A fiber-like mineral, noncombustible and nonconductive, used as an insulating material. BLOCK DIAGRAM—A diagram in which the major components of a piece of equipment or of a system are represented by squares, rectangles, or other geometric figures, and the normal flow of a signal or current is represented by lines. BRAID—The weaving of metal or cloth material as an outer coating to a cable; prevents cable damage from moisture and rough treatment. BRANCH—An individual current path in a parallel circuit. BUS BAR—A heavy cooper strap or bar used to connect several circuits together when a large current- carrying capacity is required. CABLE—Either a stranded conductor (single-conductor cable) or a combination of conductors insulated from one another (multiple-conductor cable). Small cable sizes are called stranded wire or cords. CENTIMETER CUBE—A unit of volume for large rectangular or square conductors. The cross-sectional area equals 1 square centimeter with a length of 1 centimeter. CIRCULAR MIL—The area of a circle having a diameter of 1 mil. The standard unit of measurement of wire cross-sectional area. One circular mil equals .7854 square miles. CIRCULAR-MIL-FOOT—A unit of volume of a conductor having a cross-sectional area of 1 circular mil and a length of 1 foot. COAXIAL CABLE—A cable made up of a center conductor separated from an outer conductor by a dielectric material. Normally used for radio-frequency transmission. COMPRESSED AIR/NITROGEN HEATING TOOL—A portable source of heat for use with heat- shrinkable products. CONDUIT—A tubular raceway, usually metal or plastic, for enclosing wires or cables.