英文字典中文字典Word104.com

The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 (gcide)

oscilloscope \os*cil"lo*scope\, n. [L. oscillare to swing
-scope.]
An electronic measuring instrument which provides a visual
representation of the time variation of electrical
quantities, such as voltage or current. It may be used to
measure the shape of a voltage pulse or the frequency of an
oscillating voltage. It can also be used to measure
properties of other physical variables, such as sound or
light intensity, if they can be translated into electrical
voltage or current.

Note: The common cathode-ray oscilloscope uses a cathode-ray
tube to project a beam of electrons onto the interior
of a nearly flat surface surface of the tube, which is
coated with a material which fluoresces when struck by
the moving electrons. The location of the beam of
electrons on the target surface is controlled by
electrodes surrounding the point of origin of the beam,
which control the horizontal and vertical deflection.
The degree of deflection from the vertical center can
be made to represent the electrical variable to be
measured. The cathode-ray oscilloscope is similar in
many respects to the most common form of television
tube. -- {os*cil"lo*scop`ic}, a.

Syn: scope, cathode-ray oscilloscope, CRO
[WordNet 1.5 PJC]