K factor


K factor

[′kā ‚fak·tər] (graphic arts) base-altitude ratio (nucleonics) A measure of the energy of the gamma rays produced by a particular type of emitter; it is the gamma-ray dose rate in roentgens per hour at a distance of 1 centimeter from a source having a radioactive disintegration rate of 1 millicurie (3.7 × 107 disintegrations per second). (ordnance) In artillery ground fire, a factor to be applied to the actual range to a point in order to determine the range which must be fired to hit that point; it is the result of registration and the solution of a meteorological message, and is expressed as plus or minus so many yards per thousand units of actual range.

thermal conductivity

The rate of transfer of heat by conduction; the amount of heat per unit of time per unit area that is conducted through a slab of unit thickness of a material if the difference in temperature between opposite faces is one degree of temperature; a property of the material itself, usually represented by the letter k and called k factor.