- oersted
- A unit of magnetic field intensity; the magnetic field intensity that exerts a force of 1 dyne on a unit magnetic pole; equal to (1000/4π) A m−1. [Hans-Christian O., Danish physicist, 1777–1851]
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oer·sted 'ər-stəd n the cgs unit of magnetic field strength equal to the intensity of a magnetic field in a vacuum in which a unit magnetic pole experiences a mechanical force of one dyne in the direction of the fieldDanish physicist. Oersted was a professor of physics at the University of Copenhagen, and in 1820 he reported his discovery that a compass needle-a magnet-moved to a position at right angles to the direction of an electric current. This discovery established that a relationship exists between electricity and magnetism, and it marked the foundation of the science of electromagnetism, to which Ampère and Faraday later made significant contributions. The cgs unit of magnetic field strength was named in Oersted's honor.Each boldface word in the list below is a chiefly British variant of the word to its right in small capitals.oesophageal - ESOPHAGEALoesophagectomy - ESOPHAGECTOMYoesophagitis - ESOPHAGITISoesophagogastrectomy - ESOPHAGOGASTRECTOMYoesophagogastric - ESOPHAGOGASTRICoesophagogastroscopy - ESOPHAGOGASTROSCOPYoesophagogastrostomy - ESOPHAGOGASTROSTOMYoesophagojejunostomy - ESOPHAGOJEJUNOSTOMYoesophagomyotomy - ESOPHAGOMYOTOMYoesophagoplasty - ESOPHAGOPLASTYoesophagoscope - ESOPHAGOSCOPEoesophagoscopic - ESOPHAGOSCOPICoesophagoscopist - ESOPHAGOSCOPISToesophagoscopy - ESOPHAGOSCOPYoesophagostomy - ESOPHAGOSTOMYoesophagotomy - ESOPHAGOTOMYoesophagus - ESOPHAGUS* * *
oer·sted (urґsted) [Hans Christian Oersted, Danish physicist, 1777–1851] an older unit of magnetic field strength, largely replaced by the SI unit amperes per meter.
Medical dictionary. 2011.