temperature gradient
2
5.3
- noun
- /ˈtɛmpərətʃər ˈɡreɪdiənt/
- Specialized
:
gradiente de temperatura
- The temperature gradient between the ocean surface and its depths can greatly affect marine life.
- temperature gradient study
And that will increase the strength of storms that are driven by horizontal temperature gradients.
- And that will increase the strength of storms that are driven by horizontal temperature gradients.
- So you have this problem when you cook a steak that when you cook with high heat, you get a temperature gradient and you get those bands of Gray meat on two sides.
Examples
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A temperature gradient is set up from surface to space, with the warmest molecules at the surface.
Blog text (18) -
At high altitudes, the temperature decreases rapidly, illustrating a steep temperature gradient.
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Looks like we have the beginning of a temperature gradient at 50 feet.
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Each region is defined by its temperature gradient.
Academic text (1992) -
The greater the density of the atmosphere, the greater the temperature gradient.
Blog text (18) -
As the sea ice recedes, the temperature gradient is reduced.
Blog text (33) -
The temperature gradient away from the coast is strong, and a station in Burbank provides intermediate conditions between the coastal and inland locations.
Academic text (2011) -
Borehole methods measure a temperature gradient and calculate the diffusion of heat within the borehole.
Blog text (8) -
However, the clear and cold weather that usually follows a snowstorm induces a steep temperature gradient in the snow, which causes the snow to sublime and the vapor to diffuse upward toward surface layers.
Academic text (2011) -
Geologists often study the temperature gradient in rock layers to understand the Earth's thermal history.
Synonyms
9
5.2
A slow change in amount across a distance or area
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning is directly compositional: 'gradient' denotes a rate or pattern of change, and applied to 'temperature' it straightforwardly means the rate at which temperature changes. This follows standard noun–noun technical composition and similar constructions exist cross-linguistically, so a B1 learner who knows both words will readily infer the MWE's meaning (even if the term is somewhat technical).
Etymology
Temperature gradient is like a hill for heat: think of temperature as height and gradient as the hill's 'slope'. So a temperature gradient shows how quickly temperature changes across a distance, and big gradients can make winds and strong currents.