critical angle (English, noun)
expansion: critical angle (plural critical angles)
Senses:
topics: engineering
natural-sciences
optics
physical-sciences
physics
glosses: The angle of incidence beyond which light traveling through a medium experiences total internal reflection upon encountering a boundary with a less refractive medium.
topics: aeronautics
aerospace
aviation
business
engineering
natural-sciences
physical-sciences
glosses: 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.
topics: architecture
glosses: The angle beyond which a ramp or a set of stairs is considered uncomfortable or unsafe.
Forms:
form: critical angles
tags: plural