Phase

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Phase

A phase is one part or portion in recurring or serial activities or occurrences logically connected within a greater process, often resulting in an output or a change. Phase or phases may also refer to:

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In science and engineering

Phase problem
Phase problem

The phase problem is the name given to the problem of loss of information from a physical measurement. The name itself comes from the field of x-ray crystallography, where the phase problem has to be solved for the determination of a structure from diffraction data....
, the loss of information (the phase) from a physical measurement
Phase (matter)
Phase (matter)

In the physical sciences, a phase is a region of space , throughout which all physical properties of a material are essentially uniform. Examples of physical properties include density, refractive index, and chemical composition....
, a physically distinctive form of a substance, such as the solid, liquid, and gaseous states of ordinary matter
Phase transition
Phase transition

In thermodynamics, a phase transition is the transformation of a thermodynamic system from one phase to another.At phase-transition point, physical properties may undergo abrupt change- for instance, volume of the two phases may be vastly different....
is the transformation of a thermodynamic system from one phase to another
The initial condition of a cyclic phenomenon

Phase (waves)
Phase (waves)

The phase of an oscillation or wave is the fraction of a complete cycle corresponding to an offset in the displacement from a specified reference point at time t = 0....
, initial angle of a sinusoid function at its origin
Continuous Fourier transform
Continuous Fourier transform

In mathematics, the Fourier transform is an operation that Transform one complex number-valued function of a real variable into another. The new function, often called the frequency domain representation of the original function, describes which frequencies are present in the original function....
, angle of a complex coefficient representing the phase of one sinusoidal component

The current (time varying) state of a cyclic phenomenon

Lunar phase
Lunar phase

Lunar phase refers to the appearance of the illuminated portion of the Moon as seen by an observer, usually on Earth. The lunar phases vary cyclically as the Moon orbits the Earth, according to the changing relative positions of the Earth, Moon, and Sun....
, the appearance of the Moon as viewed from the Earth
Planetary phase
Planetary phase

Planetary phase is the term used to describe the appearance of the illuminated section of a planet. Like lunar phases, the planetary phase depends on the relative position of the sun, the planet and the observer....
, the appearance of the illuminated section of a planet
Instantaneous phase
Instantaneous phase

In signal processing, the instantaneous phase of a complex-valued function is the real-valued function:' And for a real-valued signal it is determined from the signal's analytic signal, :'...
, generalization for both cyclic and non-cyclic phenomena

Phase factor
Phase factor

In Quantum Mechanics, a phase factor is a complex number scalar number of absolute value 1 that multiplies a Bra-ket notation. It does not, in itself, have any physical meaning, but differences in phase factors between two interacting states can have important physical effects....
, a complex scalar in the context of quantum mechanics
Polyphase system
Polyphase system

A polyphase system is a means of Power distribution alternating current electric power. Polyphase systems have three or more energized electrical conductors carrying alternating currents with a phase between the voltage waves in each conductor....
, a means of distributing alternating current electric power in multiple conducting wires with definite phase offsets

Single-phase electric power
Single-phase electric power

In electrical engineering, single-phase electric power refers to the distribution of alternating current electric power using a system in which all the voltages of the supply vary in unison....
Three-phase electric power
Three-phase electric power

Three-phase electric power is a common method of Alternating-current electric power electric power electric power transmission. It is a type of polyphase system, and is the most common method used by electric power distribution grids worldwide to distribute power....
Basics of three-phase electric power
Three-phase
Three-phase

In electrical engineering, three-phase electric power systems have at least three conductors carrying voltage waveforms that are 2p/3 radians offset in time....
Mathematics of three-phase electric power

In biology, a part of the cell cycle
Cell cycle

The cell cycle, or cell-division cycle, is the series of events that take place in a cell leading to its division and duplication . In cells without a nucleus , the cell cycle occurs via a process termed binary fission....
in which cells divide and reproduce
Phaser (effect)
Phaser (effect)

A phaser is an audio signal processing technique used to audio filter a signal by creating a series of peaks and troughs in the frequency spectrum....
, an audio effect.
Archaeological phase
Archaeological phase

Archaeological phase and phasing refers to the logical reduction of Archaeological contexts recorded during excavation to near contemporary archaeological horizons that represent a distinct "phase" of previous land use....
, a discrete period of occupation at an archaeological site
Archaeological site

An archaeological site is a place in which evidence of past activity is preserved , and which has been, or may be, investigated using the discipline of archaeology and represents a part of the archaeological record...
.

In fiction

"Phases" (Buffy episode), an episode of the TV series Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Phases (.hack), fictional boss monsters from the .hack franchise
Phase, an incarnation of the DC Comics character usually known as Phantom Girl
Phantom Girl

Phantom Girl is the Pseudonym of Tinya Wazzo. In the Post-Zero Hour continuity, she is known as Apparition. She is a Character , a comic book Superhero#Superheroines in the DC Comics DC Universe....
Phase IV
Phase IV

Phase IV is an United States science fiction film, made in 1974 in film. It is the only feature-length film directed by the noted title designer Saul Bass....
, a 1974 science fiction movie directed by Saul Bass

Other

A phase is a musical composition
Musical composition

Musical composition is:* an original piece of music* the musical form of a musical piece* the process of creating a new piece of music...
using Steve Reich
Steve Reich

File:Steve Reich2.jpgStephen Michael Reich is an United States composer who pioneered the style of minimalist music. His innovations include using tape loops to create phasing patterns , and the use of simple, audible processes to explore musical concepts ....
's phasing
Phasing

In the compositional technique phasing, popularized by composer Steve Reich, the same part is played on two musical instruments, in steady but not identical tempo....
technique.
Phase (syntax), a syntactic domain hypothesized by Noam Chomsky
Phase 10
Phase 10

Phase 10 is a card game created in 1982 by Kenneth Johnson and currently produced by Fundex Games. Phase 10 is based on a variant of rummy known as Liverpool Rummy....
, a card game created by Fundex Games
Phase (game)
Phase (game)

Phase is a music-themed iPod games created by Harmonix Music Systems exclusively for the iPod click wheel interface. It is similar to other Harmonix games Amplitude and Frequency ....
, a music game for the iPod developed by Harmonix Music Systems
Phase (combat)
Phase (combat)

A Phase in combat is usually a period within a military operation of a longer duration that is a part of a serial chain of logically connected activities planned to culminate in a defined Objective or goal....
usually a period of combat within a larger military operation
Military operation

This article describes three distinct, but related terms: military operations, Operations as military events, and operational level of war....

Phase

In science and engineering

In fiction

Other

See also