gradient

gra·di·ent

G0214200 (grā′dē-ənt)n. Abbr. grad.1. A rate of inclination; a slope.2. An ascending or descending part; an incline.3. Physics The rate at which a physical quantity, such as temperature or pressure, changes in response to changes in a given variable, especially distance.4. Mathematics A vector having coordinate components that are the partial derivatives of a function with respect to its variables.5. Biology A series of progressively increasing or decreasing differences in the growth rate, metabolism, or physiological activity of a cell, organ, or organism.

[Perhaps grade + -ient (as in quotient).]

gradient

(ˈɡreɪdɪənt) n1. (Civil Engineering) Also called (esp US): grade a part of a railway, road, etc, that slopes upwards or downwards; inclination2. (Civil Engineering) Also called (esp US and Canadian): grade a measure of such a slope, esp the ratio of the vertical distance between two points on the slope to the horizontal distance between them3. (General Physics) physics a measure of the change of some physical quantity, such as temperature or electric potential, over a specified distance4. (Mathematics) maths a. (of a curve) the slope of the tangent at any point on a curve with respect to the horizontal axisb. (of a function, f(x, y, z)) the vector whose components along the axes are the partial derivatives of the function with respect to each variable, and whose direction is that in which the derivative of the function has its maximum value. Usually written: grad f, ∇f or ∇f. Compare curl¹¹, divergence⁴adjsloping uniformly[C19: from Latin gradiēns stepping, from gradī to go]

gra•di•ent

(ˈgreɪ di ənt)

n. 1. the degree of inclination of a highway, railroad, etc., or the rate of ascent or descent of a stream or river. 2. an inclined surface; grade; ramp. 3. a. the rate of change with respect to distance of a variable quantity, as temperature or pressure, in the direction of maximum change. b. a curve representing such a rate of change. 4. a differential operator that, operating upon a function of several variables, results in a vector whose coordinates are the partial derivatives of the function. Abbr.: grad. Symbol:∂ adj. 5. rising or descending by regular degrees of inclination. 6. progressing by walking; stepping with the feet as animals do. [1635–45; < Latin gradient-, s. of gradiēns, present participle of gradī to walk, go]

gradientClosely spaced contour lines on the right indicate a steeper gradient than the more loosely spaced lines on the left.

gra·di·ent

(grā′dē-ənt)1. The degree to which something inclines; a slope. A mountain road with a gradient of ten percent rises one foot for every ten feet of horizontal length.2. The rate at which a physical quantity, such as temperature or pressure changes over a distance.

gradient

The rate of inclination to horizontal expressed as a ratio, such as 1:25, indicating a one unit rise to 25 units of horizontal distance.

Thesaurus

Noun	1.	gradient - a graded change in the magnitude of some physical quantity or dimensionchange - a relational difference between states; especially between states before and after some event; "he attributed the change to their marriage"concentration gradient - a gradient in concentration of a solute as a function of distance through a solution; "the movement of a solute down its concentration gradient is called diffusion"gravity gradient - a gradient in the gravitational forces acting on different parts of a nonspherical object; "the gravity gradient of the moon causes the ocean tides on Earth"temperature gradient - change in temperature as a function of distance (especially altitude)
	2.	gradient - the property possessed by a line or surface that departs from the horizontal; "a five-degree gradient"slopegrade - the gradient of a slope or road or other surface; "the road had a steep grade"rake, slant, pitch - degree of deviation from a horizontal plane; "the roof had a steep pitch"precipitousness, steepness, abruptness - the property possessed by a slope that is very steepgentleness, gradualness - the property possessed by a slope that is very gradualspatial relation, position - the spatial property of a place where or way in which something is situated; "the position of the hands on the clock"; "he specified the spatial relations of every piece of furniture on the stage"

gradient

noun slope, hill, rise, grade, incline, bank a hill with a gradient of 1 in 3

gradient

nounDeviation from a particular direction:cant, grade, heel, inclination, incline, lean, list, rake, slant, slope, tilt, tip.

Translations

倾斜度坡度斜坡

gradient

(ˈgreidiənt) noun1. the amount of slope (eg of a road, a railway). a gradient of 1 in 4. 倾斜度，坡度 2. a slope. 斜坡

gradient

1. a part of a railway, road, etc., that slopes upwards or downwards; inclination 2. a measure of such a slope, esp the ratio of the vertical distance between two points on the slope to the horizontal distance between them 3. Physics a measure of the change of some physical quantity, such as temperature or electric potential, over a specified distance 4. Mathsa. (of a curve) the slope of the tangent at any point on a curve with respect to the horizontal axis b. (of a function, f(x, y, z)) the vector whose components along the axes are the partial derivatives of the function with respect to each variable, and whose direction is that in which the derivative of the function has its maximum value. Usually written: grad f, ∇f or ∇f

Gradient

The slant of a road, piping, or the ground; expressed as a percentage of slope from true horizontal.

Gradient

in biology, a regular quantitative change in morphological or functional (including biochemical) properties along one of the axes of the body (or organ) at any stage of its development.

Examples of gradient include the diminution of yolk content in the eggs of amphibians in a direction from the vegetal pole to the animal pole and the varying sensitivity to poisons and dyes of different sections of the bodies of coelenterates and worms. A gradient that reflects decrease or increase in the rate of metabolism or other physiological indexes is called a physiological or metabolic gradient. An example in vertebrates of physiological gradient is the decrease in the capacity for automatic contraction in areas of the heart from the venous end to the aortal. The location of the highest manifestation of function is called the highest level of the gradient; the section with the lowest manifestation of function is called the lowest level of the gradient. According to the American scientist C. Child, physiological gradient is the primary cause of differentiation in the embryo and of integration in the adult organism; however, gradient frequently is not the cause but only the consequence of broader biological principles of development.

L. V. BELOUSOV

Gradient

a vector indicating the direction of maximum change of some quantity, the value of which varies from point to point in space. If the quantity is expressed as the function u(x, y, z), then the components of the gradient are ∂u/∂x, ∂u/∂y, ∂u/∂z; gradient is denoted by the symbol grad u. At any point the gradient is normal to the constant-value surface of the function u(x, y, z) at that point and its magnitude is

The concept of gradient is widely used in physics, meteorology, oceanography, and other sciences to indicate the space rate of change of some quantity when shifting for the unit length in the direction of the gradient; for example, pressure gradient, temperature gradient, humidity gradient, gradient of wind velocity, gradient of salinity, gradient of ocean water density, and gradient of electrical potential, better known as electric field intensity.

gradient

[′grād·ē·ənt] (geology) The rate of descent or ascent (steepness of slope) of any topographic feature, such as streams or hillsides. (mathematics) A vector obtained from a real function ƒ(x₁, x₂,…, x_n) whose components are the partial derivatives of ƒ; this measures the maximum rate of change of ƒ in a given direction. (navigation) A slope expressed in feet per mile as a ratio of the horizontal to the vertical distance; for example, 40:1 means 40 feet horizontally to 1 foot vertically.

gradient

1. The degree of inclination of a surface, road, or pipe, often expressed as a percentage. 2. A rate of change in a variable quantity, as temperature or pressure. 3. A curve representing such a rate of change.

gradient

A smooth blending of shades from light to dark or from one color to another. In 2D drawing programs and paint programs, gradients are used to create colorful backgrounds and special effects as well as to simulate lights and shadows. In 3D graphics programs, lighting can be rendered automatically by the software. See 3D graphics.

A Gradient

The software generates the gradient automatically as in this example created in Photoshop.

gradient

gra·di·ent

gradient

gra•di•ent

gra·di·ent

gradient

gradient

gradient

gradient

gradient

gradient

Gradient

Gradient

Gradient

gradient

gradient

gradient

gradient

gradient

gra·di·ent

gradient

gra·di·ent

gra·di·ent

Gradient

Gradient

gradient

Synonyms for gradient

noun slope

Synonyms

Synonyms for gradient

noun deviation from a particular direction

Synonyms

Synonyms for gradient

noun a graded change in the magnitude of some physical quantity or dimension

Related Words

noun the property possessed by a line or surface that departs from the horizontal

Synonyms

Related Words