K factor

K factor

[′kā ‚fak·tər]

(graphic arts)

base-altitude ratio

(nucleonics)

A measure of the energy of the gamma rays produced by a particular type of emitter; it is the gamma-ray dose rate in roentgens per hour at a distance of 1 centimeter from a source having a radioactive disintegration rate of 1 millicurie (3.7 × 10⁷ disintegrations per second).

(ordnance)

In artillery ground fire, a factor to be applied to the actual range to a point in order to determine the range which must be fired to hit that point; it is the result of registration and the solution of a meteorological message, and is expressed as plus or minus so many yards per thousand units of actual range.

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific & Technical Terms, 6E, Copyright © 2003 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

thermal conductivity

The rate of transfer of heat by conduction; the amount of heat per unit of time per unit area that is conducted through a slab of unit thickness of a material if the difference in temperature between opposite faces is one degree of temperature; a property of the material itself, usually represented by the letter k and called k factor.

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Architecture and Construction. Copyright © 2003 by McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.