Definition of Normal. Meaning of Normal. Synonyms of Normal
Here you will find one or more explanations in English for the word Normal.
Also in the bottom left of the page several parts of wikipedia pages related to the word Normal and, of course, Normal synonyms and on the right images related to the word Normal.
Definition of Normal
Normal Normal Nor"mal, n. [Cf. F. normale, ligne normale. See
Normal, a.]
1. (Geom.) Any perpendicular.
2. (Geom.) A straight line or plane drawn from any point of a
curve or surface so as to be perpendicular to the curve or
surface at that point.
Note: The term normal is also used to denote the distance
along the normal line from the curve to the axis of
abscissas or to the center of curvature.
normal Fault Fault, n.
1. (Elec.) A defective point in an electric circuit due to a
crossing of the parts of the conductor, or to contact with
another conductor or the earth, or to a break in the
circuit.
2. (Geol. & Mining) A dislocation caused by a slipping of
rock masses along a plane of facture; also, the dislocated
structure resulting from such slipping.
Note: The surface along which the dislocated masses have
moved is called the
fault plane. When this plane is vertical, the fault is a
vertical fault; when its inclination is such that the
present relative position of the two masses could have
been produced by the sliding down, along the fault plane,
of the mass on its upper side, the fault is a
normal, or gravity, fault. When the fault plane is so
inclined that the mass on its upper side has moved up
relatively, the fault is then called a
reverse (or reversed), thrust, or overthrust,
fault. If no vertical displacement has resulted, the fault
is then called a
horizontal fault. The linear extent of the dislocation
measured on the fault plane and in the direction of
movement is the
displacement; the vertical displacement is the
throw; the horizontal displacement is the
heave. The direction of the line of intersection of the
fault plane with a horizontal plane is the
trend of the fault. A fault is a
strike fault when its trend coincides approximately with
the strike of associated strata (i.e., the line of
intersection of the plane of the strata with a horizontal
plane); it is a
dip fault when its trend is at right angles to the strike;
an
oblique fault when its trend is oblique to the strike.
Oblique faults and dip faults are sometimes called
cross faults. A series of closely associated parallel
faults are sometimes called
step faults and sometimes
distributive faults.
