rheostat

Dictionary: rhe·o·stat (rē'ə-stăt') pronunciation

n.
A continuously variable electrical resistor used to regulate current.

rheostatic rhe'o·stat'ic adj.

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Architecture: rheostat

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An electric device having a resistance which can be adjusted; used to control the flow of electric current, as, for example, in one type of dimmer.

Columbia Encyclopedia: rheostat

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rheostat (rē'əstăt'), device whose resistance to electric current depends on the position of some mechanical element or control in the device. Typically a rheostat consists of a resistance element equipped with two contacts, or terminals, by which it is attached to a circuit: a fixed contact at one end and a sliding contact that can be moved along the resistance element. Electric current enters and leaves the resistance element through the contacts. By moving the sliding contact toward or away from the fixed contact, the length of the resistance element through which the current travels can be decreased or increased. In this way the current through the circuit can be increased or decreased. Rheostats are widely used for such purposes as controlling the speed of electric motors and dimming electric lights, but they have been replaced in many applications by systems based on semiconductor devices that waste far less power. See potentiometer.

Veterinary Dictionary: rheostat

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An apparatus for regulating resistance in an electric circuit.

Electronics Dictionary: rheostat

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Two terminal variable resistor used to control current.

Translations: Rheostat

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Dansk (Danish)
n. - reostat, regulermodstand

Nederlands (Dutch)
variabele weerstand

Français (French)
n. - rhéostat

Deutsch (German)
n. - Rheostat

Ελληνική (Greek)
n. - (ηλεκτρ.) ρεοστάτης

Italiano (Italian)
reostato

Português (Portuguese)
n. - reostato (m) (Eletr.)

Русский (Russian)
реостат

Español (Spanish)
n. - reóstato

Svenska (Swedish)
n. - reostat

中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
可变电阻器

中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
n. - 可變電阻器

한국어 (Korean)
n. - 가감 저항기, 조광기

日本語 (Japanese)
n. - 可変抵抗器, 加減抵抗器

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(الاسم) المقاوم المتغير أداة لتنظيم التيار الكهربائي‏

עברית (Hebrew)
n. - ‮מכוון זרם, ריאוסטט‬

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Copyrights:

		Dictionary. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. Read more
		Architecture. McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Architecture and Construction. Copyright © 2003 by McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Read more
		Columbia Encyclopedia. The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition Copyright © 2003, Columbia University Press. Licensed from Columbia University Press. All rights reserved. www.cc.columbia.edu/cu/cup/. Read more
		Veterinary Dictionary. Saunders Comprehensive Veterinary Dictionary 3rd Edition. Copyright © 2007 by D.C. Blood, V.P. Studdert and C.C. Gay, Elsevier. All rights reserved. Read more
		Electronics Dictionary. Copyright 2001 by Twysted Pair. All rights reserved. Read more
		Translations. Copyright © 2007, WizCom Technologies Ltd. All rights reserved. Read more