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hysteresis

[ his-tuh-ree-sis ]

noun

, Physics.
  1. the lag in response exhibited by a body in reacting to changes in the forces, especially magnetic forces, affecting it. Compare magnetic hysteresis.
  2. the phenomenon exhibited by a system, often a ferromagnetic or imperfectly elastic material, in which the reaction of the system to changes is dependent upon its past reactions to change.


hysteresis

/ ˌhɪstəˈrɛtɪk; ˌhɪstəˈriːsɪs /

noun

  1. physics the lag in a variable property of a system with respect to the effect producing it as this effect varies, esp the phenomenon in which the magnetic flux density of a ferromagnetic material lags behind the changing external magnetic field strength
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012


hysteresis

/ hĭs′tə-rēsĭs /

  1. The dependence of the state of a system on the history of its state. For example, the magnetization of a material such as iron depends not only on the magnetic field it is exposed to but on previous exposures to magnetic fields. This “memory” of previous exposure to magnetism is the working principle in audio tape and hard disk devices. Deformations in the shape of substances that last after the deforming force has been removed, as well as phenomena such as supercooling , are examples of hysteresis.


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Derived Forms

  • ˌhysterˈetically, adverb
  • hysteretic, adjective
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Other Words From

  • hys·ter·et·ic [his-t, uh, -, ret, -ik], hys·ter·e·si·al [his-t, uh, -, ree, -see-, uh, l], adjective
  • hyster·eti·cal·ly adverb
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Word History and Origins

Origin of hysteresis1

1795–1805; < Greek hystérēsis deficiency, state of being behind or late, hence inferior, equivalent to hysterē-, variant stem of hystereîn to come late, lag behind, verbal derivative of hýsteros coming behind + -sis -sis
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Word History and Origins

Origin of hysteresis1

C19: from Greek husterēsis coming late, from husteros coming after
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Example Sentences

Simulations suggest that the hysteresis arose because the initial friction between sticks needed to be overcome before the contact points started to rearrange.

A well-known example of hysteresis is presented by the case of permanent magnets.

The closed figure a c d e a is variously called a hysteresis curve or diagram or loop.

The effects of temperature upon hysteresis were also carefully studied, and many hysteresis loops were plotted.

Hence in performing a cycle there is a waste of energy corresponding to what has been termed hysteresis-loss.

We should expect too—and we find—that hysteresis is more prominent in weak gels than in strong.

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