SINCE 1828
dictionary
thesaurus

Joule-Thomson effect

noun
Save Word
Joule-Thom·​son effect

Definition of Joule-Thomson effect

: the change in temperature of a gas on expansion through a porous plug from a high pressure to a lower one under adiabatic conditions, the observation of this change proving among other things that Joule's second law is only approximately true

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

  • More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
  • Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
  • Advanced search features
  • Ad free!

History and Etymology for Joule-Thomson effect

after J. P. Joule and Sir William Thomson (Lord Kelvin) †1907 British physicist

Learn More About Joule-Thomson effect

Dictionary Entries Near Joule-Thomson effect

Joule heat

Joule-Thomson effect

jounce

See More Nearby Entries 

Statistics for Joule-Thomson effect

Cite this Entry

“Joule-Thomson effect.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Joule-Thomson%20effect. Accessed 18 May. 2022.

Style: MLA
MLACheck Mark Icon ChicagoCheck Mark Icon APACheck Mark Icon Merriam-WebsterCheck Mark Icon

WORD OF THE DAY

indoctrinate

Listen to the pronunciation of indoctrinate

See Definitions and Examples »

Test Your Vocabulary

Name That Food

  • a-light
  • Name these cookies!
How Strong Is Your Vocabulary?

Test your vocabulary with our 10-question quiz!

TAKE THE QUIZ
Universal Daily Crossword

A daily challenge for crossword fanatics.

TAKE THE QUIZ
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Words at Play
Ask the Editors
Word Games