Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

capstan effect

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 2.03 in modern English

Syllables: cap-stan -ef-fect
IPA

25

Scrabble Score

13

Letters

4

Syllables

8

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

The friction between a rope (or other flexible material) around a curved surface (the capstan) exponentially amplifies the holding force, allowing a small tension on one side to resist a much larger tension on the other.

Example Sentences

"When a cable is being installed, the tension in the cable increases in the straight sections of pipe and is reduced at the bends by the ‘capstan effect’, the input and output tensions expressed by the equation:[…]."

Inflected Forms

capstan effects (plural)

Questions

What does capstan effect mean?: The friction between a rope (or other flexible material) around a curved surface (the capstan) exponentially amplifies the holding force, allowing a small tension on one side to resist a much larger tension on the other.

How to pronounce capstan effect

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