critical angle

Hello, you have come here looking for the meaning of the word critical angle. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word critical angle, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say critical angle in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word critical angle you have here. The definition of the word critical angle will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition ofcritical angle, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.

English

Noun

critical angle (plural critical angles)

  1. (optics) The angle of incidence beyond which light traveling through a medium experiences total internal reflection upon encountering a boundary with a less refractive medium.
  2. (aviation) The angle of attack beyond which an airfoil stalls, experiencing a decrease in lift and increase in drag due to separation of airflow from the upper surface of the airfoil.
  3. (architecture) The angle beyond which a ramp or a set of stairs is considered uncomfortable or unsafe.

Synonyms

(angle of attack):

Translations

See also

Wikious
Boobota
Sagapedia