torsion
/ˈtɔːʃ(ə)n
/noun [mass noun]
1The action of twisting or the state of being twisted, especially of one end of an object relative to the other.As the cantilever executes small torsion resonant oscillations by twisting about its long axis, the cantilever's free end and the AFM tip rotate a very small angle about that axis....
- As only library rotamers are used for heavy atom conformers, these are near torsion minima and their torsion energies are set to zero.
- The overall conformational energy of a molecular system is presented as the sum of van-der-Waals interactions, electrostatic interactions, and torsion energies.
1.1The twisting of the cut end of an artery after surgery to impede bleeding.
1.2 Mathematics The extent to which a curve departs from being planar.A deeper characterization of a helix is that it is the unique curve in 3-space for which the ratio of curvature to torsion is a constant, a result known as Lancret's Theorem....
- Thus, the local curvature and torsion of the ribbon are dependent on the local chemical state.
- The slope of the plot from the absolute temperature against the mean square angular displacements of Trp residues determines an averaged value of the elastic torsion that the protein exerts on its Trp residues.
1.3 Zoology (In a gastropod mollusc) the spontaneous twisting of the visceral hump through 180° during larval development.Of all molluscan clades, only the gastropods undergo torsion....
- They also questioned the relationship between torsion and muscle scar position by noting that retractor muscles form after torsion on at least some gastropods.
- Numerous hypotheses exist positing torsion as either a larval or adult adaptation, but none are entirely satisfactory.
Derivatives
torsional
- The annulus has overlapping radial bands, not unlike the plies of a radial tire, and this allows torsional stresses to be distributed through the annulus under normal loading without rupture.
- The torsional stiffness of the 75 Tourer body is far higher than most equivalent class saloons and sets new standards for estates.
- The extra length is achieved simply by using longer extrusions in the construction of the body without any loss in torsional rigidity.
torsionally
- Those of you who relish a spirited drive will appreciate the fact that the current car's chassis is three times more torsionally rigid than the rather noodle-like old 9-3.
- But when they oscillate both torsionally - twisting - and horizontally, the bridge breaks.
- This lightweight sportscar shares the strong, torsionally stiff construction of the XJ executive saloon.
torsionless
- The transfer sheet is wound around the torsionless pipe such that stencil characters are directly inwardly.
- The conclusion is that reinforced concrete flat slabs could be designed using torsionless moment fields using the discontinuity line analysis.
- In this paper we study a condition right FGTF on a ring R, namely when all finitely generated torsionless right R-modules embed in a free module.
Origin
Late Middle English (as a medical term denoting colic or in the sense 'twisting' (especially of a loop of the intestine)): via Old French from late Latin torsio(n-), variant of tortio(n-) 'twisting, torture', from Latin torquere 'to twist'.