radius of gyration

noun

Given a body B, the distance from a given axis of rotation at which a point mass of the same mass as B would have the same moment of inertia about said axis.

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Meanings

nounradius of gyration (plural radii of gyration)

plural radii of gyration

  1. engineeringGiven a body B, the distance from a given axis of rotation at which a point mass of the same mass as B would have the same moment of inertia about said axis.

    The radii of gyration parallel and perpendicular to the director are obtained from macroscopically aligned samples by using a two-dimensional detection method.

    1989, Christine Boeffel, Hans Wolfgang Spiess, “8: NMR methods for studying molecular order and motion in liquid crystalline side group polymers”, in C. B. McArdle, editor, Side Chain Liquid Crystal Polymers, Blackie and Son, page 251
    2 more examples

    Since the radius of gyration depends on the manner in which the mass is arranged round the axis, it follows that for different axes in the same body there will be different radii of gyration.

    1852, [1831], Henry Kater, Dionysius Lardner, A Treatise on Mechanics, page 137

    As it^([sic]) was already mentioned earlier, the radius of gyration represents the size of a scattering object. The average radius of gyration involves the ratio of the eighth power of the radius of gyration of the individual particles R#95;i, to the sixth power of R#95;i; this means that with the broad pore size distribution of the cement paste, the average is dominated by the large pores and the small pores have virtually no impact upon the radius of gyration.

    2006, Kalliopi K. Aligizaki, Pore Structure of Cement-Based Materials, Taylor & Francis, page 270

    Synonyms: gyradius

Synonyms & antonyms

nounGiven a body B, the distance from a given axis of rotation at which a point mass of the same mass as B would have the same moment of inertia about said axis.

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Translations

German Streumassenradius, Gyrationsradius
  • Streumassenradiusdistance from a given axis at which a point mass of the same mass as a given body would have the same moment of inertia
  • Gyrationsradiusdistance from a given axis at which a point mass of the same mass as a given body would have the same moment of inertia
Italian raggio d'inerzia, raggio di girazione
  • raggio d'inerziadistance from a given axis at which a point mass of the same mass as a given body would have the same moment of inertia
  • raggio di girazionedistance from a given axis at which a point mass of the same mass as a given body would have the same moment of inertia
  • raggio di giratoredistance from a given axis at which a point mass of the same mass as a given body would have the same moment of inertia
Cite this entry
APA

radius of gyration. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/radius%20of%20gyration

MLA

“radius of gyration.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/radius%20of%20gyration. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “radius of gyration,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/radius%20of%20gyration.

Source: radius of gyration on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.