constant of proportionality
- noun
- /ˈkɒnstənt əv prəˌpɔːrʧəˈnælɪti/
- Specialized
:
constante de proporcionalidad
- And if you think G is a minuscule constant of proportionality, take a look at the current best value for h (in kilogram-meters squared per second): **43;1319;TOOLONG.
Examples
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But there is a constant of proportionality as well as an exponential curve.
Blog text (5) -
The constant of proportionality, called the Hubble Constant, remains uncertain by about a factor of 2.
Academic text (1990) -
That's what that is, OK And K is your constant of proportionality, OK?
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In addition, we might think that the constant of proportionality is related to the absolute size of the easement.
Academic text (2017) -
The same constant of proportionality applies for heat radiation, for light, and even for X-rays.
Academic text (2006) -
The constant of proportionality, k, is the material's thermal conductivity.
Academic text (1999) -
It is not a uniform constant of proportionality between heat capacity and temperature for all substances.
Blog text (10) -
In this case, the constant of proportionality, 28, is the density of water, the number of kilograms per cubic foot.
Academic text (2006) -
The constant of proportionality, k, in the equation y = kx, determines how two variables are related.
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In physics, the constant of proportionality helps to relate the force applied to an object and its acceleration.
Synonyms
26
6.7
A number that multiplies a variable or shows how strong a relationship is in math and science
A number you multiply one amount by to get another amount that changes the same way
Surface Forms
Morphology
constant + of + proportionality
The meaning — the fixed value associated with a proportional relationship — is directly and compositionally derived from 'constant' (a fixed value) + 'of' + 'proportionality' (the multiplicative relation). This standard 'noun of noun' technical construction is common in scientific language and mirrored in many languages (e.g., Spanish/French), so a B1 learner who knows the constituent words can reliably infer the MWE's meaning.
Etymology
Constant of proportionality comes from two simple ideas: a constant is something that does not change and proportionality means two things change together at a steady rate. Imagine a recipe where doubling one ingredient doubles the other; the fixed number that links them is the 'constant of proportionality', so it tells how much one quantity changes when the other changes.