Joule-Thomson effect

noun

Joule-Thom·​son effect
: the change in temperature of a gas on expansion through a porous plug from a high pressure to a lower one under adiabatic conditions, the observation of this change proving among other things that Joule's second law is only approximately true

Word History

Etymology

after J. P. Joule and Sir William Thomson (Lord Kelvin) †1907 British physicist

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

  • More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
  • Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
  • Advanced search features
  • Ad free!

Dictionary Entries Near Joule-Thomson effect

Cite this Entry

“Joule-Thomson effect.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Joule-Thomson%20effect. Accessed 23 Nov. 2024.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!