Difference between revisions of "Q Factor"
(Added article for the Q factor, hoping to explain the controversy between the nonstandard "unloaded" Q factor used in EM Drive experiments versus the standard "loaded" Q factor) |
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See the [[Wikipedia:Q factor|Wikipedia entry]] for a more general and detailed description. | See the [[Wikipedia:Q factor|Wikipedia entry]] for a more general and detailed description. | ||
There are multiple, incompatible ways to measure this parameter, and there has been considerable debate on the NSF forums as to which is most appropriate for the EM Drive. | There are multiple, incompatible ways to measure this parameter, and there has been considerable debate on the NSF forums as to which is most appropriate for the EM Drive. | ||
| − | Regardless, publicized experiments have so far reported the [[ | + | Regardless, publicized experiments have so far reported the [[#Unloaded Q factor|unloaded Q factor]], even though the [[#Loaded Q factor|loaded Q factor]] is generally considered the standard technique outside of the EM Drive research community{{citation needed}}. |
There is not standard notation to distinguish between the method used. | There is not standard notation to distinguish between the method used. | ||
| − | We use "Ql" to explicitly denote the ''loaded'' Q factor and "Qu" to denote the ''unloaded'' Q factor. | + | We use [[#Loaded Q factor|"Ql"]] to explicitly denote the ''loaded'' Q factor and [[#Unloaded Q factor|"Qu"]] to denote the ''unloaded'' Q factor. |
| − | == Loaded Q factor | + | == Loaded Q factor == |
| − | == Unloaded Q factor | + | == Unloaded Q factor == |
Revision as of 12:15, 26 August 2015
The quality factor, also known as the "Q factor", "Q value", or just "Q", is a dimensionless parameter that characterizes the energy loss of a resonating cavity with respect to the energy stored in the cavity. See the Wikipedia entry for a more general and detailed description. There are multiple, incompatible ways to measure this parameter, and there has been considerable debate on the NSF forums as to which is most appropriate for the EM Drive. Regardless, publicized experiments have so far reported the unloaded Q factor, even though the loaded Q factor is generally considered the standard technique outside of the EM Drive research communityTemplate:Citation needed.
There is not standard notation to distinguish between the method used. We use "Ql" to explicitly denote the loaded Q factor and "Qu" to denote the unloaded Q factor.
