Erg

erg

[ərg]

(geography)

A large expanse of the earth's surface that is covered with sand, generally blown by wind into dune formations.

(physics)

A unit of energy or work in the centimeter-gram-second system of units, equal to the work done by a force of magnitude of 1 dyne when the point at which the force is applied is displaced 1 centimeter in the direction of the force. Also known as dyne centimeter (dyne-cm).

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ERG

(medicine)

electroretinogram

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

erg

A unit of energy in the CGS system. It is equal to .0000001 joule in the MKS system. See CGS system.

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The following article is from The Great Soviet Encyclopedia (1979). It might be outdated or ideologically biased.

Erg

 

a unit of work or energy in the centimeter-gram-second system. The symbol is erg. One erg is equal to the work done by a force of 1 dyne when the point at which the force is applied is displaced 1 cm in the direction of the force. One erg equals 10^–7 joule = 6.24 × 10¹¹ electron volts.

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Erg

 

a general name for sand masses in the deserts of North Africa. Ergs are usually confined to low-lying parts of the relief. The largest are the Grand Erg Occidental and the Grand Erg Oriental. The relief consists mainly of dunes, which rise to 200–300 m in height, stretching in the direction of the prevailing trade winds.

The Great Soviet Encyclopedia, 3rd Edition (1970-1979). © 2010 The Gale Group, Inc. All rights reserved.