G Thermocouple type for from an element or system to the amplitude
of the input signal to that element or system,
G
tungsten versus tungsten 26
percent rhenium. Also
known as acceleration due to
gravity; equal to 980 cm/sec 2
(32.2 ft/sec2) on the surface
of the earth s. 3. Specific
gravity
G1 In equipment corrosion specifications, the
designation for one measure of mild environ-
mental contamination, as defined in ISA
standard ISA-71.04-1985 G1 represents less
than 300 A per month of copper corrosion
(for electrical terminals).
G2 In equipment corrosion specifications, the
designation for one measure of moderate
environmental contamination, as defined in
ISA standard ISA-71.04-1985. G2 represents
less than 1,000 A per month of copper corro-
sion (for electrical terminals).
G3 In equipment corrosion specifications, the
designation for one measure of harsh envi-
ronmental contamination, as defined in ISA
standard ISA-71.04-1985. G3 represents less
than 2,000 A per month of copper corrosion
(for electrical terminals).
gage Variant spelling of gauge. See gauge.
gain 1. The ratio of output signal magnitude
to input signal magnitude. When gain is less
than one this is usually called "attenuation."
[ISA-26-1968] See attenuation. 2. The relative
degree of amplification in an electronic cir-
cuit. 3. The ratio of the change in output to
the change in the input that caused the
change. 4. In a controller, the reciprocal of
proportional band. For example, if the pro-
portional band is set at 25 percent, the con-
troller gain is 4. Proportional band can be
expressed as a dimensionless number (gain)
or as a percentage.
gain, antenna The difference in signal
strengths between a given antenna and an
isotropic antenna.
gain, closed-loop In process instrumentation,
the gain of a closed-loop system. It is
expressed as the ratio of the output change to
the input change at a specified frequency.
[ANSI/ISA-51.1-1979 (R1993)]
gain, crossover frequency See frequency, gain
crossover.
gain, derivative action (rate gain) The ratio
of maximum gain that results from propor-
tional
plus-derivative control action To the gain
caused by proportional control action alone.
[ANSI/ISA-51.1-1979 (R1993)]
gain, dynamic The magnitude ratio of the
steady-state amplitude of the output signal
225
for a sinusoidal signal. [ANSI/ISA-51.1-1979
(R1993)]
gain, loop In process instrumentation, the
ratio of the absolute magnitude of the change
in the feedback signal to the change in its
corresponding error signal at a specified fre-
quency. Note: The gain of the loop elements
is frequently measured by opening the loop,
with appropriate termination. The gain so
measured is often called the "open-loop
gain." [ANSI/ISA-51.1-1979 (R1993)]
gain, open-loop See gain, loop.
gain, proportional The ratio of the change in
output caused by proportional control action
to the change in input. An example: Y = ±PX,
where P = proportional gain, X = input trans-
form, Y = output transform. [ANSI/ISA-51.1-
1979 (R1993)]
gain (magnitude ratio) For a linear system or
element, the ratio of the magnitude (ampli-
tude) of a steady-state sinusoidal output to
the causal input. The length of a phasor
(rotating vector) from the origin to a point of
the transfer locus in a complex plane. Note:
The quantity may be separated into two fac-
tors: (1) a proportional amplification, often
denoted as K, which is frequency indepen-
dent and associated with a dimensioned
scale factor that relates to the units of input
and output, and (2) a dimensionless factor,
often denoted as G (jù), which is frequency
dependent. Frequency, conditions of opera-
tion, and conditions of measurement must be
specified. A loop-gain characteristic is a plot
of log gain versus log frequency. In nonlinear
systems, gains are often amplitude depen-
dent. [ANSI/ISA-51.1-1979 (R1993)]
gain, static (zero-frequency gain) Of the gain
of an element or the loop gain of a system,
static gain is the value that is approached as
a limit as frequency approaches zero. Note:
Its value is the ratio of change of steady-state
output to a step change in input, provided
the output does not saturate. [ANSI/ISA-
51.1-1979 (R1993)]
gain, zero frequency See gain, static (zero fre-
quency gain).
gain margin The reciprocal of the open-loop
gain for a stable feedback system at the fre-
quency at which the phase angle reaches
-180°.
gal A unit of acceleration that is equal to 1
cm/s 2 . The milligal is frequently used
because it is about 0.001 times the earth's
gravity.
galling / gap scanning
galling Localized adhesive welding that sub-
sequently exhibits spalling and roughening
of the metal surfaces that rub together as a
result of excessive friction and
metal-to-metal contact at high spots.
gallon A unit of capacity (volume) that usu-
ally refers to liquid measure in the British or
U.S. customary system of units. The capacity
defined by the British (Imperial) gallon
equals 1.20095 U.S. gallons; one U.S. gallon
equals four quarts or 3.785 x 10-3 m3.
galvanic corrosion Electrochemical corro-
sion associated with current in a galvanic
cell. It is set up when two dissimilar metals
(or the same metal in two different metallur-
gical conditions) are in electrical contact and
are immersed in an electrolytic solution.
galvanic isolation The transfer of electrical
power or signal from one circuit to another
by means that do not include a direct electri-
cal connection, for example, through an iso-
lating transformer or optical coupler. [ANSI/
ISA-RP12.6-1995]
galvanizing The process of coating a metal
with zinc by using any of several processes,
the most common of which are hot dipping
and electroplating.
galvanometer An instrument for measuring
small electric currents by using electromag-
netic or electrodynamic forces to create
mechanical motion, such as changing the
position of a suspended moving coil.
galvanometer recorder A sensitive mov-
ing-coil instrument in which a small mirror is
mounted on the coil. A small signal voltage
applied to the coil causes a light beam
reflected from the mirror to move along the
length of a slit. This produces a trace on a
light-sensitive recording medium that moves
transverse to the slit at constant speed.
game theory A mathematical process for
selecting an optimum strategy in the face of
an opponent who has a strategy of his or her
own.
gamma 1. A measure of the contrast properties
of a photographic or radiographic emulsion. It
equals the slope of the straight-line portion of
its H and D curve. See H and D curve. 2. In dig-
ital graphic video, gamma measures the con-
trast that affects the midtones of an image.
Adjusting gamma makes it possible to
change the brightness values of middle-
range gray tones without altering shadows
and highlights.
gamma counter An instrument for detecting
gamma radiation either by measuring inte-
grated intensity over a period of time or by
detecting each photon separately.
226
gamma ray 1. Electromagnetic radiation that
is emitted by the nucleus of an atom. Each
photon results from the quantum transition
between two energy levels of the nucleus. 2.
A term sometimes used to describe any
high-energy electromagnetic radiation, such
as X-rays that exceeds about 1 MeV or pho-
tons of annihilation radiation.
gamma-ray spectrometer An instrument for
measuring the energy distribution in a beam
of gamma rays.
Gantt chart A style of bar chart that is used in
production planning and control to display
both work planned and work done in rela-
tion to time.
Modified Gantt Chart of Unit Procedures
gap 1. An interval of space or time that is
used as an automatic sentinel to indicate the
end of a word, record, or file of data on a
tape. Examples include a word gap at the
end of a word, a record or item gap at the
end of a group of words, or a file gap at the
end of a group of records or items. 2. The
absence of information for a specified length
of time, or space on a recording medium, as
contrasted with marks and sentinels that
indicate the presence of specific information
for achieving a similar purpose. 3. The space
between the reading or recording head and
the recording medium, such as tape, drum,
or disk. Related to head. 4. In a weldment, the
space between members, prior to welding, at
the point of closest approach for opposing
faces.
gap (diametral clearance) The distance
between the corresponding surfaces of a
flameproof joint. For cylindrical surfaces, the
gap is the diametral clearance (the difference
between the two diameters). [ANSI/ISA-
12.22.01-1998 (IEC 60079-1 Mod)]
gap loss The loss resulting from the end sepa-
ration of two axially aligned optical fibers.
gap scanning In ultrasonic examination, pro-
jecting the sound beam through a short col-
umn of fluid that is produced by pumping

couplant through a nozzle in the ultrasonic
search unit. See couplant.
garbage In data processing, meaningless or
incorrect data.
garter spring A closed ring that is made by
welding the ends of a closely wound helical
spring together.
gas amplification A characteristic of a
counter tube or ionization chamber. It is
equal to the charge collected divided by the
charge produced in the active volume by a
given ionizing event.
gas analysis The determination of the constit-
uents of a gaseous mixture.
gas bearing A journal or thrust bearing that
uses a film of gas to lubricate the running
surfaces. Also known as "gas-lubricated
bearing."
gas burner A burner for use with gaseous
fuel.
gas carburizing A surface-hardening process
in which steel or an alloy of suitable alterna-
tive composition is exposed at elevated tem-
perature to a gaseous atmosphere with a
high carbon potential. The resulting car-
bon-rich surface layers are hardened by
quenching the part from the carburizing tem-
perature or by reheating and quenching.
gas chromatography A separation technique
that involves passing a gaseous moving
phase through a column that contains a fixed
adsorbent phase. Gas chromatography is
used principally as a quantitative technique
for analyzing volatile compounds.
gas counter A type of counter tube in which a
gaseous sample whose radiation is to be
measured is introduced directly into the
counter tube itself.
gas current A current of positive ions that
flows to a negatively biased electrode. The
positive ions are produced when electrons
flowing between two other electrodes collide
with residual gas molecules.
gas-detection instrument 1. An assembly of
electrical, mechanical, and (possibly) chemi-
cal components that senses and responds to
the presence of gas in air mixtures. The
instrument may be a single integrated unit or
a system that is comprises of two or more
physically separate but interconnected com-
ponent parts. The response of the instrument
to the gas is to provide an indication, alarm,
or other output function. Note: For conve-
nience, the term instrument is used as an
abbreviation for "gas-detection instrument"
in the relevant standard: ISA-92.02, 03 and
06.01-1998. 2. An assembly of electrical,
mechanical, and chemical components that
227
garbage / gas plasma display
senses and responds to the presence of gas in
air mixtures.
gas dynamic pumping The production of a
population inversion by a gas dynamic pro-
cess, in which a hot, dense gas is expanded
into a near vacuum, causing the gas to cool
rapidly. If the gas cools faster than energy
can be redistributed, a population inversion
is generated.
gas etching Removing material from a semi-
conductor material by reacting it with a gas
so as to form a volatile compound.
gasification The process of converting solid
or liquid fuel into a gaseous fuel such as the
gasification of coal.
gasket A sealing member, which usually
made by the process of stamping from a
sheet of cork, rubber, metal, or impregnated
synthetic material. It is usually clamped
between two essentially flat surfaces to pre-
vent pressurized fluid from leaking through
the crevice. Typical applications include
flanged joints in piping, head seals in a recip-
rocating engine or compressor, casing seals
in a pump, or virtually anywhere a pres-
sure-tight joint is needed between stationary
members. Also known as "static seal."
gas lift The technique of raising a liquid in a
vertical flow line by injecting a gas below a
portion of the liquid column, thereby causing
upward flow.
gas meter An instrument for measuring and
recording the volume or mass of a gaseous
fluid that flows past a given point in a piping
system.
gas-metal arc welding (GMAW) A form of
electric arc welding in which the electrode is
a continuous filler metal wire and the weld-
ing arc is shielded by supplying a gas such as
argon, helium, or CO 2 through a nozzle in
the torch or welding head. The term GMAW
includes the methods known as "MIG weld-
ing."
gasometer A piece of apparatus that is typi-
cally used in analytical chemistry to hold and
measure the quantity of gas evolved in a
reaction. Similar equipment is used in some
industrial applications.
gas pass An arrangement in which the con-
vection banks of a boiler are separated by
gas-tight baffles into two or more parallel gas
paths. These paths isolate portions of the
super heater and reheater surfaces. The pro-
portion of total gas flow through each gas
pass may be varied by regulating dampers.
[ANSI/ISA-77.44.01-2000]
gas plasma display A data display screen
used on some laptop computers. Characters
gas pliers / gauge
on gas plasma displays are easier to read
than those on liquid crystal display screens,
but gas plasma units are more expensive.
gas pliers A pinchers-type tool for grasping
round objects such as pipes, tubes, and rods.
gas pocket A cavity within a solid or liquid
body that is filled with gas.
gas recirculation A method by which gas
from the boiler, economizer, or air heater out-
let is reintroduced into the furnace by means
one or more fans, ducts, or both. [ANSI/ISA-
77.44.01-2000]
gas seal A type of shaft seal that prevents gas
from leaking axially along a shaft where it
penetrates a machine casing.
gas-sensing element (sensor) 1. The primary
element in the gas-detection system that
responds to the presence of a combustible gas,
including any reference or compensating unit
(where applicable). [ANSI/ISA-12.13.01-2000]
2. The particular subassembly or element in
the gas-detection instrument that produces a
change in its electrical, chemical, or physical
characteristics in the presence of gas. [ISA-
92.02, 03, and 06.01-1998]
gas-shielded arc welding An all-inclusive
term for any arc-welding process that utilizes
a gas stream to prevent direct contact
between the ambient atmosphere and the
welding arc and weld puddle.
gassing 1. Absorption of gas by a material. 2.
The formation of gas pockets in a material. 3.
The evolution of gas during a process, for
example, the evolution of hydrogen at the
cathode during electroplating, gas evolution
from a metal during melting or solidification,
or the desorption of gas from internal sur-
faces during the evacuation of a vacuum sys-
tem. Gas desorption is sometimes referred to
as outgassing.
gas-specific gravity balance A weighing
device that consists of a tall gas column with
a floating bottom. A pointer mechanically
linked to the floating bottom indicates den-
sity or specific gravity directly, depending on
scale calibration.
gas thermometer A temperature transducer
that converts temperature into pressure of
gas in a closed system. The relation between
temperature and pressure is based on the gas
laws at constant volume.
gas tube An electron tube whose operating
characteristics are substantially affected by
the presence of gas or vapor within the tube
envelope.
gas-tungsten arc welding (GTAW) A form of
metal arc welding in which the electrode is a
nonconsumable pointed tungsten rod.
228
Shielding is provided by a stream of inert
gas, usually helium or argon. Filler metal
wire may or may not be fed into the weld
puddle, and pressure may or may not be
applied to the joint. The term GTAW includes
the method known as "heliarc welding" or
"TIG welding."
gate 1. A flat or wedge-shaped sliding ele-
ment that modifies flow rate with linear
motion across the flow path. [ANSI/ISA-
75.05.01-2000] 2. A movable barrier. 3. A
device such as a valve or door that controls
the rate at which materials are admitted into
a conduit, pipe, or conveyor. 4. A device for
positioning film in a movie camera, printer,
or projector. 5. The passage in a casting mold
that connects the sprue to the mold cavity.
Also known as "in-gate." 6. An electronic
component that allows only signals of prede-
termined amplitudes, frequencies, or phases
to pass.
gate array A circuit that consists of an array
of logic gates aligned on a substrate in a reg-
ular pattern.
gate circuit An electronic circuit that has one
or more inputs and one output. It has the
property that a pulse goes to the output line
only if some specified combination of pulses
occurs on the input lines. Gate circuits consti-
tute much of the hardware by means of
which logical operations are built into a com-
puter.
gate (logic) An electronic device that embod-
ies a logic function (AND, OR, NAND, NOR,
and XOR).
gate valve 1. A valve with a linear-motion
closure member that is a flat or wedge-
shaped gate. The gate may be moved in or
out of the flow stream. It has a straight-
through flow path. [ANSI/ISA-75.05.01-
2000] 2. A type of valve whose flow-control
element is a disk or plate that undergoes
translational motion in a plane transverse to
the flow passage through the valve body.
gateway A conceptual or logical network sta-
tion that serves to interconnect two other-
wise incompatible networks, network nodes,
subnetworks, or devices. A gateway per-
forms a protocol conversion operation across
numerous communications layers. It is much
more complicated than a bridge. The ISO
defines a gateway as a device that traverses
all seven layers. A current, sloppier defini-
tion describes it as any mechanism that pro-
vides access to another system.
gauge (Also spelled gage) 1. The thickness of
metal sheet or the diameter of rod or wire. 2.
A device for determining dimensions such as

thickness or length. 3. A visual inspection aid
that helps an inspector to reliably determine
whether the size or contour of a formed,
stamped, or machined part meets tolerances.
gauge block A rectangular chromium steel
block with two flat parallel surfaces, that
have a flatness and parallelism guaranteed to
be within a few millionths of an inch. Gauge
blocks are usually manufactured and sold in
sets for use as standards in linear measure-
ment. Also known as "Johanssen block," "Jo
block," "precision block," or "size block."
gauge cock A valve that is attached to a
water column or drum for checking water
level.
gauge factor 1. A measure of the ratio of the
relative change of resistance to the relative
change in length of a resistive strain trans-
ducer (strain gauge). [ISA-37.1-1975 (R1982)]
2. The ratio of resistance to relative change in
length of a piezoresistive strain gauge.
gauge glass A glass or plastic tube for mea-
suring the liquid level in a tank or pressure
vessel, usually by direct sight. It is usually
connected directly to the vessel through suit-
able fittings and shutoff valves.
gauge length In materials testing, the origi-
nal length of an elongated specimen over
which measurements of strain, thermal
expansion, or other properties are taken.
gauge point A specific location that is used to
position a part in a jig, fixture, or qualifying
gauge.
gauge pressure 1. Pressure measured relative
to ambient pressure. 2. The difference
between the local absolute pressure of the sys-
tem and the atmospheric pressure at the place
of the measurement. 3. Static pressure as indi-
cated on a gauge. 4. The force per unit area
exerted by fluid using atmospheric pressure
as zero reference. Absolute pressure minus
atmospheric pressure.
gauss The CGS unit of magnetic flux density
or magnetic induction. The SI unit, the tesla,
is preferred.
Gaussian beam A laser beam in which the
intensity has its peak at the center of the
beam, then drops off gradually toward the
edges. The intensity profile measured across
the center of the beam is a classical Gaussian
curve.
Gaussian curve The bell-shaped curve that
corresponds to a population with a normal
distribution. Also known as "normal curve."
gaussmeter A magnetometer for measuring
only the intensity of a magnetic field, but not
usually the direction of the magnetic field. Its
229
gauge block / gear pump
scale is usually graduated in gauss or
kilogauss.
gauze 1. A sheer, loosely woven textile fabric.
One of its most common uses is for surgical
dressings, but it also has some industrial
uses such as for filter media. 2. Plastic or wire
cloth of a fine to medium mesh size.
GAW Guided Acoustical Wave type of touch
screen, which channels acoustical energy
into the full volume of screen material; com-
pare with SAW.
GCR Gray component replacement; color
separation control technique in color screen
displays and printing.
GDDM Graphical data display manager for
the presentation of graphics.
GDT Gas discharge tube; used for overvolt-
age protection and energy transfer switches.
gear 1. A toothed machine element for trans-
mitting power and motion between rotating
shafts whose axes are relatively close to each
other or are intersecting. 2. A collective term
for equipment that performs a specific func-
tions—lifting gear, for example. 3. A collec-
tive term for the portion of a machine that
transmits motion from one mechanism to
another. 4. A specific combination of gears in
a transmission or adjustable gear train that
determines mechanical advantage, speed,
and direction of rotation.
gear down To arrange a gear train so that the
driven shaft rotates at a slower speed than
the driving shaft.
gear drive A mechanism for transmitting
power (torque) and motion from one shaft to
another by means of direct contact between
toothed wheels.
gear level To arrange a gear train so that the
driving and driven shafts rotate at the same
speed.
gear-mesh frequency The speed of rotation
multiplied by the number of teeth of the gear
on that shaft.
gear meter A positive-displacement fluid
meter in which two meshing gearwheels pro-
vide the metering action.
gearmotor A device that consists of an elec-
tric motor and a direct-coupled gear train.
The arrangement allows the motor to run at
optimum speed—usually 1,800 or 3,600
rpm—while delivering rotational motion at a
substantially lower speed.
gear pump 1. A pump in which fluid is fed to
one side of a set of meshing gears, which
entrain the fluid and discharge it on the other
side. 2. A gear pump that is supplied with
pressurized fluid that converts fluid flow
into rotary motion.
gear train / gewel hinge
gear train A combination of two or more
gears that are arranged to transmit power
and motion between two rotating shafts or
between a rotating shaft and a member that
moves linearly.
gear up To arrange a gear train so that the
driven shaft rotates at a higher speed than
the driving shaft.
gear wheel A wheel with integral gear teeth
that mesh with another gear, a rack, or a
worm.
Geiger-Muller counter A radiation-measur-
ing instrument whose active element is a
gas-filled chamber that usually consists of a
hollow cathode with a fine-wire anode along
its axis. In operation, the voltage between
anode and cathode is high enough that the
discharge caused by a primary ionizing
event spreads over the entire anode until it is
stopped when the space charge reduces the
electric-field magnitude. Also known as
"Geiger counter."
Geiger threshold The lowest voltage applied
to a counter tube that results in output pulses
of essentially equal amplitude, regardless of
the magnitude of the ionizing event.
gel coat A resin that is gelled on the internal
surface of a plastics mold prior to filling it
with a molding material. The finished part is
a two-layer laminate, with the gel coat pro-
viding improved surface quality.
GEMS Global Enterprise wide Management
System; beyond enterprise resource plan-
ning, (ERP) this includes connectivity from a
corporation to the companies of suppliers as
well as customers, often over the Internet, so
as to manage the flow of business require-
ments and products among all of them. See
ERP.
general processor In numerical control, a
computer program that carries out computa-
tions on the part program. It also prepares
the cutter location data ("CL data") for a par-
ticular part without reference to the machine
on which it might be made.
general-purpose computer A computer that
is designed to solve a large variety of prob-
lems. An example would be a stored pro-
gram computer that may be adapted to any
of a very large class of applications.
General-Purpose Interface Bus (GPIB) An
IEEE-488 standard bus. Used for interfacing
computers to electronic instruments.
general-purpose simulation system
(GPSS) A generic class of discrete, transac-
tion-oriented simulation languages that are
based on a block (diagramming) approach to
problem statement.
230
general recipe A type of recipe that expresses
equipment- and site-independent process-
ing requirements. [ANSI/ISA-88.01-1995]
generating electric field meter An instru-
ment for measuring electric field strength. A
flat conductor is alternately exposed to the
field and shielded from it. The potential gra-
dient of the field is determined by measuring
the rectified current through the conductor.
generating magnetometer An instrument for
measuring magnetic field strength by means
of the electromotive force that is generated in
a rotating coil immersed in the field being
measured.
generator In EPA (U.S.) regulations, the per-
son, group, or organization whose activities
generate hazardous waste.
genetic algorithm A reiterative computing
method developed by John Holland in the
1970s to solve complex problems more
quickly by using the properties of natural
selection found in biological evolution so as
to adjust to changing environments. Uses
simple encoding and reproduction mecha-
nisms through the simple manipulation of
chromosomes (strings of 1s and 0s). "New
genes" (solutions) are developed through
parent selection, mutation, and crossover so
as to create children different than their par-
ents. By constantly comparing the multiple
solutions with the desired result, a genetic
algorithm will accept and reject various
chunks of code and try new combinations
from the chunks that remain, until it finds
the optimum fit.
Geotechnology The application of science
and engineering to problems involving the
utilization of natural resources.
gesso A mixture of chalk and either gelatine
or casein glue. It is painted on panels to pro-
vide a suitable surface for tempera work or
for polymer-based paints.
getter A material that is exposed to the inte-
rior of a vacuum system in order to reduce
via absorption or adsorption the concentra-
tion of residual gas.
getter-ion pump A type of vacuum pump
that produces and maintains high vacuum
by continuously or intermittently depositing
chemically active metal layers on the wall of
the pump. There, they trap and hold inert
gas atoms that have been ionized by an elec-
tric discharge and drawn to the activated
pump wall. Also known as "sputter-ion
pump."
gewel hinge A hinge that consists of a hook
inserted in a loop.

GFCI Ground fault circuit interrupter, which
protects humans from electrical shock.
G-glass In the construction of glass-bulb type
pH sensors, this glass is used for the mem-
branes of electrodes in processes where the
nominal pH value varies around pH 7. Since
this type of glass has a wide application
range it is also been termed "general- pur-
pose" glass. See E-, L-, and S-glass.
ghost point A term used in boiler-water test-
ing with soap solution. A lather appears to
form but will disappear when more soap
solution is added. This point represents total
calcium hardness and the total hardness of
the final lather.
gib A removable plate that holds other parts
or that acts as a bearing or wear surface.
GIF Graphics Interchange Format [pro-
nounced jiff]; method of saving graphics in
electronic memory; used for exchanging data
between computers.
gigabyte (Gbyte, Gig, GB) 1,073,741,824
bytes or 1,024 megabytes (230 bytes). A basic
unit for the measurement of mass storage.
Also, used to describe data transfer rates
(primarily parallel) as a function of time
(Gbps).
gigaflops One billion (109) floating-point
operations per second.
gilbert The CGS unit for magnetomotive
force. The SI unit, the ampere (or
ampere-turn), is preferred.
gimbal 1. A cage or frame with two mutually
perpendicular, intersecting axes of rotation.
Free angular movement in two directions is
given to any device or mechanism mounted
within the frame. 2. A gyro support that
gives the spin axis a degree of freedom.
gimbal lock A position in a gyro having two
degrees of freedom such that the spin axis
becomes aligned with an axis of freedom.
This alignment deprives it of a degree of free-
dom and therefore deprives it of its useful
properties.
gimbal mount An optical mount that allows
the position of a component to be adjusted
by rotating it independently around two
orthogonal axes.
gimlet A small tool for boring holes in wood,
leather, and similar materials. It consists of a
threaded point, spiral-fluted shank, and
cross handle. A tool without the handle and
adapted for use in a drill is known as a "gim-
let bit."
gin A hoisting machine that consists of a
windlass, pulleys, and ropes in a tripod
frame.
231
GFCI/glaze
GIS Graphic Information System; computer
system for presenting data in graphic form.
GIW Gain in weight; generally measured in
processes that create change in the density of
product or the volume of product in some
vessel during operations on the product.
GKS Graphical Kernel System; standard
interface between application programs and
graphics system; ANSI/ISO 2-D interna-
tional standard.
gland 1. A device for preventing a pressur-
ized fluid from leaking out of a casing at a
machine joint, such as at a shaft penetration.
Also known as "gland seal." 2. A movable
part that compresses the packing in a stuff-
ing box. See packing follower and lantern ring.
glass A hard, brittle, amorphous, inorganic
material. Often transparent or translucent,
glass is made by fusing silicates (and some-
times borates and phosphates) with certain
basic oxides and then cooling rapidly to pre-
vent crystallization.
glass fiber A glass thread that is less than
0.001 in. (0.025 mm) thick. It is used in loose,
matted, or woven form to make thermal,
acoustical, or electrical insulation. In matted,
woven, or filament-wound form it is used to
make fiber-reinforced composites. In loose,
chopped form it is used to make glass-filled
plastics parts.
glassine A thin, dense, transparent,
super-calendered paper that is made from
highly refined sulfite pulp. It is used indus-
trially as insulation between layers of
iron-core transformer windings.
glassmaker's soap A substance such as MnO2
that is added to glass to eliminate the green
color imparted by the presence of iron salts.
glass paper 1. An abrasive material that is
made by bonding a layer of pulverized glass
to a paper backing. 2. Paper made of glass
fibers.
glass sand The raw material for glassmaking.
It normally consists of high-quartz sand that
contains small amounts of the oxides of Al,
Ca, Fe, and Mg.
glassware Laboratory containers, vessels,
graduated cylinders, tubing, and the like that
are made from glass.
glass wool A relatively loose mass of glass
fibers that is used chiefly for insulating,
packing, and filtering applications.
glassy alloy A metallic material having an
amorphous or glassy structure. Also known
as "metallic glass."
glaze A glossy, highly reflective, glasslike,
inorganic, fused coating. See enamel.
glazing / GMR
glazing 1. The process of cutting and fitting
glass panes into frames. 2. Smoothing the
exposed solder of a wiped pipe joint with a
hot iron
glazing compound A caulking compound,
such as putty, that is used to seal the edges of
a pane of glass where it fits into its frame.
glitch An undesirable electronic pulse that
causes processing errors.
glitter A decorative flaked powder that has a
particle size large enough so that the individ-
ual flakes produce a visible reflection or
sparkle. It is used in certain decorative paints
and in some compounded plastics stock.
global 1. Any component that has as its scope
the entire system in which it resides. 2. A
computer instruction that causes the com-
puter to locate all occurrences of specific
data. 3. A value that is defined in one pro-
gram module and used in others. Globals are
often referred to as entry points in the mod-
ule in which they are defined and externals
in the other modules that use them.
global array A set of data listings that can be
referenced by other parts of the software.
global common An unnamed data area that
is accessible by all programs in the system.
Sometimes referred to as a "blank common."
global variable Any variable that is available
to all programs in the system. Contrast with
reserved variable.
globe body A valve body that is distin-
guished by a globular-shaped cavity around
the port region, wherein the closure member
motion is linear and normal to the plane of
the port. [ANSI/ISA-75.05.01-2000]
globe valve plug guides The means by
which the plug is aligned with the seat and
held stable throughout its travel. The guide
is held rigidly in the body or bonnet. [ANSI/
ISA-75.05.01-2000]
globe valve 1. A valve with a linear-motion
closure member, one or more ports, and a
body that is distinguished by a globular-
shaped cavity around the port region. [ANSI/
ISA-75.05.01-2000] 2. A type of flow-regulat-
ing valve that consists of a movable disc and a
stationary-ring seat in a generally spherical
body. In the general design, the fluid enters
below the valve seat and leaves from the cav-
ity above the seat. 3. A valve with a linear-
motion closure member whose seal is per-
pendicular to the stem motion, that has one
or more ports, and that has a body distin-
guished by a globular-shaped cavity around
the port region. (See figure.) [ANSI/ISA-
75.05.01-2000]
232
Globe Valve
globe valve trim The internal parts of a valve
that are in flowing contact with the controlled
fluid. Examples are the plug, seat ring, cage,
stem, and the parts that are used to attach the
stem to the plug. The body, bonnet, bottom
flange, guide means, and gaskets are not con-
sidered to be part of the trim. [ANSI/ISA-
75.05.01-2000]
glossimeter An instrument for measuring the
"glossiness" of a surface, that is, the ratio of
light reflected in a specific direction to light
reflected in all directions, usually by means
of a photoelectric device. Also known as
"glossmeter."
glow discharge A discharge of electrical
energy through a gas, in which the space
potential near the cathode is substantially
higher than the ionization potential of the
gas.
GLP Good laboratory practice; regulations by
FDA (U.S.) for non-clinical laboratory stud-
ies.
glue 1. In general contexts, a term often used
(improperly) to describe an adhesive. 2. In a
specific sense, a crude, impure form of com-
mercial gelatine that softens to a gel consis-
tency when wetted with water and dries to
form a strong adhesive layer.
glued A mixed-signal simulation system that
combines existing analog and digital simula-
tion software into a hybrid analog or digital
simulation system.
GMM Graphical multimeter; multiple elec-
trical signal tester that can display wave-
forms.
GMP Good manufacturing practice; regula-
tions by FDA (U.S.) for medical devices.
GMR Giant magnetoresistive; changes in the
electrical resistance in materials composed of
alternating thin layers of metallic elements or
magnetic metals separated by nonmagnetic
"spacers." Used in memory storage devices
for much more capacity in disk drives than
offered by conventional magnetoresistive
methods.

gnd Ground; usually chassis ground but can
be used for earth ground electrical potential.
Golay cell An infrared detector in which the
incident radiation is absorbed in a gas cell,
thereby heating the gas. The temperature-
induced expansion of the gas deflects a dia-
phragm, and a measurement of this deflec-
tion indicates the amount of incident
radiation.
goniometer 1. Generally, any instrument for
measuring angles. 2. Specifically, an instru-
ment that is used in crystallography to deter-
mine the angles between crystal planes,
using X-ray diffraction or other means. 3. An
instrument that is used to measure refractive
index and other optical properties of trans-
parent optical materials. It is also used to
measure optical scattering in materials at UV,
visible, or IR wavelengths.
go/no-go gauge A composite gauging device
that enables an inspector to quickly judge
whether specific dimensions or contours fall
within specified tolerances. In many
instances, the device is so constructed that
the part being inspected will fit one part of
the gauge easily and will not fit another part
if it is within tolerance. The gauge will pass
both parts or pass neither if it is not within
tolerance.
go/no-go test A test in which one or more
parameters are determined, but in which
only acceptance or rejection of the test object
can result, depending on the value(s) mea-
sured.
GOSIP Government Open Systems
Interconnection Profile; U.S. Federal Infor-
mation Processing Standard 146, which
defines a set of open system communication
protocols that allow different makes of com-
puters to communicate and users of different
applications on these systems to exchange
information.
gouging Forming a groove in an object by
electrically, mechanically, thermomechani-
cally, or manually removing material. The
gouging process is typically used to remove
shallow defects prior to repair welding.
governor A device for automatically regulat-
ing the speed or power of a prime mover. In
particular, a device that relies on centrifugal
force in whirling weights that are opposed
by springs or gravity to actuate the control-
ling element.
GPD Gas plasma displays that emit a glow
when excited with small voltage; type of liq-
uid crystal displays (LCD).
gph Gallons per hour (volumetric flow rate).
233
gnd / graded index fiber
GPIB General Purpose Interface Bus; IEEE
488 standard; parallel, multiport, 300 Kbs to
1 Mbs, 15 to 28 stations on up to 50 feet. Orig-
inally developed by Hewlett-Packard as HP-
IB for laboratory instrumentation.
gpm Gallons per minute (volumetric flow
rate).
grab-sample point The point in the sample
line where the flow of sample fluid can be
directed to a portable container. It may be
referred to as "sample point." [ANSI/ISA-
67.02.01-1999]
grab sampling A method of sampling bulk
materials for analysis that consists of taking
one or more small portions (usually only
imprecisely measured) at random from a
pile, tank, hopper, railcar, truck, or other
point of accumulation.
graceful degradation A system attribute such
that when a piece of equipment fails, the sys-
tem falls back to a degraded mode of opera-
tion rather than failing catastrophically and
giving no response to its users.
grade 1. To move earth in order to make a
land surface of uniform slope. 2. A classifica-
tion of materials, alloys, ores, units of prod-
uct, or characteristics according to some
attribute or level of quality. 3. To sort and
classify according to attributes or quality lev-
els. 4. A classification of oil according to
quality.
graded index fiber Optical fiber whose core
has a nonuniform index of refraction. The
core is composed of concentric rings of glass
whose refractive indices decrease from the
center axis to reduce modal dispersion and
thereby increase fiber bandwidth. Such fibers
have lower dispersion and broader band-
width than step-index fibers.
graded refractive index lens / graphic panel
graded refractive index lens A lens in which
the refractive index of the glass is not uni-
form. Typically, the index will differ with the
distance from the center of the lens.
gradient The rate of change of some variable
with respect to another, especially a regular
uniform or stepwise rate of change.
graduation Any of the major or minor index
marks on an instrument scale.
GRAFCET Graphe de Commande Efape-
Transition, "step transition function charts");
created in 1979 by French Association for
Economical and Applied Cybernetics,
GRAFCET is a popular subset of sequential
function chart (SFC), providing a diagram-
matic representation of program sequences
and supporting alternative sequence selec-
tions and parallel sequences. Basic elements
are steps and transitions; originally an
enhancement to PLC ladders.
grain 1. The appearance or texture of wood,
or the woodlike appearance or texture of
another material. 2. In paper or matted
fibers, the predominant direction most fibers
lie in, which corresponds to the directionality
imparted during manufacture. 3. In metals
and other crystalline substances, an individ-
ual crystallite in a polycrystalline mass. 4. In
crumbled or pulverized solids, a single parti-
cle too large to be called powder.
grain boundary The plane of mismatch
between adjacent crystallites in a polycrys-
talline mass, as revealed on a polished and
etched cross section of the material.
grain flow The fibrous appearance on a pol-
ished and etched section of a forging. It is
caused by the orientation of impurities and
inhomogeneities along the direction of the
work during the forging process.
grain growth An increase in the average
grain size in a metal, usually as a result of
exposure to high temperature.
graininess Visible coarseness in a photo-
graphic or radiographic emulsion. It is
caused by the clumping together of countless
small grains of silver into relatively large
masses that are visible to the naked eye or
with slight magnification.
graining Working a translucent stain while it
is still wet in order to simulate the appear-
ance of grain in wood or marble. Tools such
as special brushes, combs, and rags used by
hand create the desired irregular patterns.
grain size 1. For metals, the size of crystallites
in a polycrystalline solid. Grain size may be
expressed as a diameter, as number of grains
per unit area, or as a standard grain-size
number that is determined by comparison
234
with a chart such as those published by
ASTM. In most instances, the grain size is
given as an average, unless there are sub-
stantial proportions that can be given as two
distinct sizes. If two or more phases are
present, the grain size of the matrix is given.
2. For abrasives, the preferred term is "grit
size."
grains per cu ft The term for expressing dust
loading in terms of weight per unit of gas
volume (7,000 grains equals one pound).
grains (water) A unit of measure that is com-
monly used in water analysis to measure
impurities in water (17.1 grains = 1 part per
million (ppm)).
gram The CGS unit of mass. It equals 0.001
kilogram, which has been adopted as the SI
unit of mass.
granular fracture A rough, irregular fracture
surface that can be either transcrystalline or
intercrystalline. Also, it often indicates that
fracture took place in a relatively brittle
mode, even though the material in question
is inherently ductile.
granular structure A nonuniform appearance
of molded or compressed material as a result
of the presence of particles of varying com-
position.
grapheme The smallest unit of written lan-
guage. Generally, a single letter for a vowel
or consonant; sometimes a combination such
as "th" or "ch."
graphic Pertaining to representational or pic-
torial material that is usually legible to
humans and is applied to the printed or writ-
ten form of data such as curves, alphabetic
characters, and radar scope displays.
graphical display unit An electronics device
that can display both text and pictorial repre-
sentations.
graphical user interface (GUI) An operating
system or environment that displays pro-
gram choices and options on the screen as
icons (pictures or symbols) and often as win-
dows. Selections are typically made with a
mouse or trackball ("point and click").
Invented at Xerox in the 1970s, the graphical
user interface was first used on Apple Mac-
intosh and later on Microsoft Windows, Digi-
tal Research GEM, and X-Windows.
graphic character See graphic.
graphic lines Representations of process and
signal lines in a pictorial display.
graphic panel A master control panel that,
pictorially and usually colorfully, traces the
relationship of control equipment and the
process operation. It permits an operator, at a
glance, to check on the operation of a

far-flung control system by noting dials,
valves, scales, and lights.
graphics object A visually oriented screen-
view item, such as a scroll bar, bit map, or
icon, that is used in the presentation of some
application interface.
graphic symbol An easily recognized picto-
rial representation. [ISA-5.5-1985]
graphic symbols Simplified representations
of process components and instruments in a
pictorial display.
graphite flake A form of graphite that is
present in gray cast iron. It appears in the
microstructure as an elongated, curved inclu-
sion.
graphite rosette A form of graphite present
in gray cast iron that appears in the micro-
structure as graphite flakes extending radi-
ally outward from a center of crystallization.
graphitic carbon Free carbon that is present
in the microstructure of steel or cast iron. It is
an essential feature of most cast irons but is
almost always undesirable in steel.
graphitic corrosion Corrosion of gray cast
iron. The iron matrix is slowly leached away,
leaving a porous structure behind which is
largely graphite but that may also be held
together by corrosion products. This form of
corrosion occurs in relatively mild aqueous
solutions and on buried pipe and fittings.
graphitic steel An alloy steel in which some
of the carbon is present in the form of graph-
ite.
graphitization The formation of graphite in
iron or steel. It is termed "primary graphiti-
zation" if it forms during solidification, and
"secondary graphitization" if it forms during
subsequent heat treatment or extended ser-
vice at high temperature.
gravimeter A device for measuring the rela-
tive force of gravity by detecting small differ-
ences in the weight of a constant mass at
different points on the earth's surface. Also
known as gravity meter.
gravimetric A descriptive term that is used to
designate an instrument or procedure that
utilizes gravitational forces. However, the
results or indications of such procedures are
not necessarily influenced by the magnitude
of the acceleration of gravity. [ISA-RP31.1-
1977]
gravitational constant A dimensionless con-
version factor in English units that arises
from Newton's second law (F = ma) when
mass is expressed in pounds-mass (lbm).
gravitometer See densimeter.
gravity A weight index of fuels. Liquid petro-
leum products are expressed either as spe-
235
graphics object / grid
cific, Baumé, or API (American Petroleum
Institute) gravity. Gravity is the weight index
of gaseous fuels expressed as specific gravity
related to air under specified conditions.
Gravity is the weight index of solid fuels
expressed as specific gravity related to water
under specified conditions.
gravity convection oven An oven in which
there is no mechanical means for circulating
air in the oven chamber.
gravity meter 1. A device that uses a U-tube
manometer to determine the specific gravi-
ties of solutions by direct reading. 2. An elec-
trical device for measuring variations in the
gravitational forces through different geolog-
ical formations. 3. A gravimeter.
gray The metric unit for absorbed dose.
gray balance In the composition of screen
displays and printing, the dot values or den-
sities of cyan, magenta, and yellow that pro-
duce neutral gray.
graybody An object that has the same spec-
tral emissivity at every wavelength, or one
whose spectral emissivity equals its total
emissivity.
Gray code A generic name for a family of
binary codes that have the property such that
one number can be changed to the next
sequential number by changing only one bit
in a code for that first number. This type of
code is commonly used in rotary shaft
encoders to avoid ambiguous readings when
moving from one position to the next. See
also cyclic code and shaft encoder.
gray iron Cast iron that contains free graphite
in flake form. So named because a freshly
broken bar of the alloy appears gray.
grease 1. Rendered, inedible animal fat. 2. A
semisolid to solid lubricant that consists of a
thickening agent, such as metallic soap, dis-
persed in a fluid lubricant, such as petroleum
oil.
grease seal ring See lantern ring.
green Unfired, uncured, or unsintered.
green strength The mechanical strength of a
ceramic or powder metallurgy part after
molding or compacting but before firing or
sintering. It represents the quality necessary
to maintain sharpness of contour and physi-
cal integrity during handling and the
mechanical operations to prepare it for firing
or sintering.
greenware Unfired ceramic ware.
grid 1. A network of lines, typically forming
squares, that are used in layout work or in
creating charts and graphs. 2. A crisscross
network of conductors that is used for
shielding or controlling a beam of electrons.
grid circuit / grounding
grid circuit An electronic circuit that includes
the grid-cathode path of an electron tube in
series with other circuit elements.
grid control A method of controlling anode
current in an electron tube by varying the
potential of the grid electrode with respect to
the cathode.
grid emission The emission of electrons or
ions from the grid electrode of an electron
tube.
grid nephoscope A device for determining
the direction of cloud motion. Clouds are
sighted through a grid work of bars, and the
angular position of the grid is adjusted until
some feature of the cloud in the field of view
appears to move along the major axis of the
grid.
grinding 1. Removing material from the sur-
face of a workpiece by using an abrasive
wheel or belt. 2. Reducing the particle size of
a powder or granular solid.
grinding aid A material added to the charge
in a rod or ball mill to accelerate the grinding
process.
grinding burn The localized overheating of a
workpiece surface as a result of excessive
grinding pressures, an inadequate supply of
coolant, or both.
grinding cracks Shallow cracks in the surface
of a ground workpiece. They appear most
often in relatively hard materials as a result
of excessive grinding friction or high sensi-
tivity in the material.
grinding fluid A cutting fluid used in grind-
ing operations, primarily to cool the work
piece but also to lubricate the contacting sur-
faces and carry away grinding debris.
grinding medium Any material—including
balls, rods, and quartz or chert pebbles—that
is used in a grinding mill.
grindstone A stone disk that mounted on a
revolving axle and used for grinding or tool
sharpening.
grit A particulate abrasive that consists of
angular grains.
grit blasting The process of abrasively clean-
ing metal surfaces by blowing steel grit,
sand, or other hard particulate against them
to remove soil, rust, and scale. Also known
as sandblasting.
grommet 1. A metal washer or eyelet, often
used to reinforce a hole in cloth or leather. 2.
A rubber or soft plastic eyelet that is inserted
in a hole through sheet metal, such as an
electronic equipment chassis or enclosure, to
prevent a wire from chafing against the side
of the hole, damaging its insulation, or short-
ing out to the chassis. 3. A circular piece of
236
fibrous packing material used under a bolt
head or nut to seal the bolt-hole.
grommet nut A blind nut with a round head
that is sometimes used with a screw to attach
a hinge to a door.
groove 1. A long narrow channel or furrow in
a solid surface. 2. In a weldment, a
straight-sided, angled, or curved gap
between joint members used prior to weld-
ing to help confine the weld puddle and
ensure full joint penetration so as to produce
a sound weld.
grooved drum A windlass drum whose face
has been grooved, usually in a helical fash-
ion, to support and guide the rope or cable
wound on it.
grooved tube seat A tube seat that has one or
more shallow groves into which the tube
may be forced by the expander.
gross porosity In weld metal or castings,
gross porosity is the presence of large or
numerous gas holes, pores, or voids that are
indicative of substandard quality or poor
technique.
ground 1. A conducting connection, whether
intentional or accidental, between an electrical
circuit or electrical equipment and either the
earth or some other conducting body that
serves in place of the earth. [ANSI/ISA-
82.02.01-1999 (EIC 1010-1 MOD); ISA-
12.01.01-1999] 2. A (neutral) reference level
for electrical potential that is equivalent to the
level of electrical potential of the earth's crust.
3. A secure connection to earth that is used to
reference an entire system. Usually the con-
nection takes the form of a rod driven or bur-
ied in the soil or a series of rods connected
into a grid that is buried in the soil.
grounded Referring to the presence or
absence of an electrical connection between
the "low" side of the transducer element and
the portion of the transducer that is intended
to be in contact with the test structure. The
method for ungrounding should be stated as
"internally ungrounded" or "by means of
separate stud." [ISA-RP37.2-1982 (R1995)]
grounded (earthed) Connected to earth or to
some conducting body that serves in place of
earth. [ISA-12.01.01-1999]
grounded junction A form of thermocouple
construction in which the measuring junc-
tion is electrically connected to its protective
sheath so both have the same potential.
grounding The act of establishing a conduc-
tive connection, whether intentional or acci-
dental, between an electrical circuit or
electrical equipment and the earth or some
other conducting body that serves in place of

the earth. [ANSI/ISA-82.02.01-1999 (EIC
1010-1 MOD)]
ground lead See work lead.
ground loop Circulating current between
two or more connections to electrical ground.
This signal can be detected and displayed by
electronic instruments. These signals are gen-
erally not associated with the variable to be
measured and represent noise in the measur-
ing system.
ground loop noise Noise that results when
equipment is grounded at points that have
different potentials, thereby creating an
unintended current path.
ground resistance test After electrical ground-
ing and bonding systems are installed,
ground resistance is typically tested with a
ground resistance tester to demonstrate
whether resistance to ground, in 120 volt sys-
tems, is 125 ohms or less. This test is as stipu-
lated by National Electrical Code. How
much ground resistance is allowable
depends on the specific system requirements
and the system interruption restrictions. Five
ohms or less is recommended for general
equipment and one ohm for instrument
grounds.
group A classification of combustible materi-
als. [ISA-12.01.01-1999]
group addressing In transmission, the use of
an address that is common to two or more
stations. On a multipoint line, group
addressing means that all stations recognize
addressing characters but only one station
responds.
grouping The process of combining two or
more computer records into one block of
information in order to conserve storage
space or disk or tape. Also known as "block-
ing."
group leader The person who holds the high-
est level of functional supervision but whose
responsibilities are oriented solely toward
instrumentation and control. [ANSI/ISA-
67.14.01-2000]
group velocity The velocity that corresponds
to the rate of change of the average position
of a wave packet as it travels through a
medium.
grouting The placing or injecting of a fluid
mixture of cement and water (or of cement,
sand, and water) into a grout hole, crevice,
seam, or joint for the purpose of forming a
seepage barrier, consolidating surrounding
earth or rock, repairing concrete structures,
or sealing the joint where an equipment base
rests on a concrete floor.
237
ground lead / guide
grub screw A headless screw that is slotted at
one end to receive a screwdriver.
GSM Global System for Mobile communica-
tions; a digital wireless communications
technology.
guard A shield or cowling that surrounds
moving parts so as to prevent workers from
being injured or to prevent incidental equip-
ment damage from foreign objects.
guard bit A bit contained in each word or
groups of words of memory that indicates to
computer hardware or software whether the
content of that memory location may be
altered by a program. See protected location.
guard ring An auxiliary, ring-shaped elec-
trode in a counter tube or ionization chamber
whose chief functions are to control potential
gradients, reduce insulation leakage, or
define the active region of the tube.
guard vacuum An enclosed evacuated space
between a primary vacuum system and the
atmosphere. Its primary purpose is to reduce
leakage from the seal into the primary sys-
tem.
guest (computer) In process control, the use
of a computer that is not the primary or con-
trolling computer and is not used to config-
ure some multiple-part system. A guest
computer provides services that are auxiliary
to the basic control. Such functions can be
collecting historical and archival data, creat-
ing a library of application programs, per-
forming background calculations, and so on.
The term was originally used somewhat
tongue in cheek by Sam Herb and Scotty
Moore in the first edition of Understanding
Distributed Process Control in 1981 to describe
a system that has a computer that is con-
nected but not required for a process control
system's start-up or operation. See host (com-
puter).
GUI Graphical user interface [pronounced:
gooey]; operating system or environment
that displays program choices and options
on the screen as icons (pictures or symbols)
and often windows. Selections are typically
made with a mouse or trackball (point and
click). Invented at Xerox in the 1970s, was
first used on Apple Macintosh and later on
Microsoft Windows, Digital Research GEM,
and X Windows.
guide 1. A pulley, idler roll, or channel mem-
ber that keeps a rope, cable, or belt traveling
in a predetermined path. 2. A runway in
which a conveyor travels. 3. A stationary
machine element—a beam, bushing, rod, or
pin, for instance—whose primary function is
guide bearing / gyro wheel

to keep one or more moving elements con- maintains a stable, angular reference direc-
fined to a specific path of travel. tion by virtue of the application of Newton's
guide bearing A plain bushing that is used to second law of motion to a mechanism whose
prevent the lateral movement of a machine chief component is a rapidly spinning heavy
element while allowing free axial translation, mass.
with or without (usually without) simulta- gyroscopic couple The turning moment that
neous rotation. Also known as a "guide is generated by a gyroscope in order to
bushing." oppose any change in the position of its axis
guide bushing See bushing. of rotation.
Guided Acoustical Wave (GAW) A type of gyroscopic horizon A gyroscopic instrument
touch screen that channels acoustical energy that simulates the position of the natural
into the full volume of screen material. Com- horizon and indicates the attitude of an air-
pare with surface acoustic wave (SAW). craft with respect to this horizon.
guided bend test A bend test in which the gyro wheel The heavy rotating element of a
specimen is bent to a predetermined shape in gyroscope. It consists of a wheel whose
a jig or around a grooved mandrel. rather large mass is distributed uniformly
guided missile An unmanned airborne vehi- around its rim. In precision gyroscopes, the
cle whose flight path or trajectory can be gyro wheel is specially constructed to have
altered by some mechanism within or nearly perfect balance.
attached to the vehicle in response to either a
preprogrammed control sequence or a con-
trol sequence that is transmitted to the vehi-
cle while in flight.
guided wave A wave whose energy is con-
fined by one or more extended boundary
surfaces and whose direction of propagation
is effectively parallel to the boundary.
guides, closure member The means by
which the closure member is aligned with
the seat and held stable throughout its travel.
The guide is held rigidly in the body bonnet,
and/or bottom flange. [ANSI/ISA-75.05.01-
2000]
gutter 1. A drainage trough or trench, usually
surrounding a raised surface. 2. A groove
around the cavity of a forging or casting die
to receive excess flash.
guy A wire, rope, or rod that is used to secure
a pole, derrick, truss, or temporary structure
in an upright position or to hold it securely
against the wind.
guyed-steel stack A steel stack of insufficient
strength to be self-supporting and is thus lat-
erally stayed by guys.
gyratory screen A sieving machine that has a
series of nested screens whose mesh sizes are
progressively smaller from the top to the bot-
tom of the stack. The mechanism shakes the
stacked screens in a nearly circular fashion,
which causes fines to sift through each screen
until an entire sample or batch has been clas-
sified.
gyro Short for gyroscope. See gyroscope.
gyromagnetic ratio The magnetic moment of
a system divided by its angular momentum.
gyroscope 1. A transducer that makes use of
a self-contained spatial directional reference.
[ISA-37.1-1975 (R1982)] 2. An instrument that

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