| incident | Going toward; impinging upon, as incident rays. Origin: L. Incido, pp. -casus, to fall into, to meet with (05 Mar 2000) |
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| incident angle | <optics> The angle that a ray entering a refracting medium makes with a line drawn perpendicular to the surface of this medium, the angle that a ray striking a reflecting surface makes with a line perpendicular to this surface. Synonym: incident angle. (05 Mar 2000) |
| incident light | <microscopy> Sometimes denotes any over-stage lighting not included by methods of vertical illumination. (05 Aug 1998) |
| incident pain | <symptom> A type of breakthrough pain that is related to specific activity, such as eating, defecation, socialising or walking. Also referred to as incident pain. (16 Dec 1997) |
| incident point | The point at which a light ray enters an optical system. (05 Mar 2000) |
| incident ray | The ray that strikes the surface before reflection. (05 Mar 2000) |
| critical | 1. Denoting or of the nature of a crisis. 2. Denoting a morbid condition in which death is possible. 3. In sufficient quantity as to constitute a turning point. (05 Mar 2000) |
| critical angle | The angle of incidence at which a ray of light, in passing between two media, changes from refraction to total reflection. Synonym: limiting angle. (05 Mar 2000) |
| critical care | Health care provided to a critically ill patient during a medical emergency or crisis. (12 Dec 1998) |
| critical care unit | A hospital facility for provision of intensive nursing and medical care of critically ill patients, characterised by high quality and quantity of continuous nursing and medical supervision and by use of sophisticated monitoring and resuscitative equipment; may be organised for the care of specific patient groups, e.g., neonatal or newborn ICU, neurological ICU, pulmonary ICU. Synonym: critical care unit. (05 Mar 2000) |
| critical concentration | <chemistry> The minimum concentration of units needed before a biological polymer will form. Examples of biopolymers are microtubules from tubulin units, polypeptides from amino acid units, polysaccharides from simple sugar units, etc. (09 Oct 1997) |
| critical dissolved oxygen concentration | <biology> The minimum concentration of oxygen in the water needed for the growth of a culture which has been submerged, where oxygen is the limiting factor to the growth of the culture. (09 Oct 1997) |
| critical flicker fusion frequency | The minimal number of flashes of light per second at which an intermittent light stimulus no longer stimulates a continuous visual sensation. (05 Mar 2000) |
| critical gradient | <botany> The maximum stable inclination of an unsupported slope under the most adverse conditions that it will likely experience, as determined by current engineering technology. (09 Oct 1997) |
| critical habitat | <ecology> Specific areas within the geographic area occupied by a species at the time it is listed in accordance with the Endangered Species act. Specific areas outside the geographical area occupied by a species at the time it is listed if there is a determination that such areas are essential for conservation of the species. (09 Oct 1997) |