electron tube
/'ilektrɔn'tju:b/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Noun:
- An electronic device consisting of a system of electrodes arranged in an evacuated glass or metal envelope: An "electron tube" is a sealed container, typically made of glass or metal, from which most of the air has been removed to create a vacuum. Inside, electrodes control the flow of electrons to perform functions such as amplification, rectification, or signal generation.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- The old radio uses an electron tube to amplify the signal.
- Before the invention of the transistor, the electron tube was a fundamental component in electronics.
Advanced Usage
- "Vacuum tube": This is a common synonym for "electron tube," emphasizing the vacuum inside the device.
- The terms "electron tube" and "vacuum tube" are often used interchangeably.
- Historical Context: The electron tube was a critical technology in early computers, radios, and televisions.
- The ENIAC computer, built in the 1940s, relied on thousands of electron tubes.
Variants and Related Words
- Vacuum tube (n): A synonym for electron tube.
- Thermionic valve (n): Another term, primarily used in British English, referring to the same device.
- Diode/Triode/Tetrode/Pentode (n): Specific types of electron tubes, classified by the number of electrodes (two, three, four, or five) they contain.
Synonyms
- Vacuum tube: A direct synonym.
- Thermionic valve: A synonym emphasizing the use of thermionic emission (heating an electrode to release electrons).
Related Phrases
- "Tube amplifier": An audio amplifier that uses electron tubes, often prized for its sound quality.
- Many guitarists prefer the warm sound of a tube amplifier.
- "Tube radio": A radio receiver built using electron tube technology.
- He collects and restores antique tube radios.
Noun
- electronic device consisting of a system of electrodes arranged in an evacuated glass or metal envelope