How Do You Spell TOKAMAK?

Pronunciation: [tˈɒkɐmˌak] (IPA)

The word "tokamak" refers to a device used in nuclear fusion research. It is spelled phonetically as /ˈtoʊkəmæk/, with the stress on the first syllable. The "t" is pronounced as a voiceless alveolar stop, while the "o" is pronounced as a long "o" sound. The "a" is pronounced like the "a" in "back", and the "m" is a voiced bilabial nasal. The "k" is pronounced as a voiceless velar stop. This phonetic transcription helps to explain the correct spelling of the word "tokamak".

TOKAMAK Meaning and Definition

  1. A tokamak is a type of experimental fusion reactor that utilizes magnetic confinement to confine plasma at extremely high temperatures, with the goal of achieving controlled nuclear fusion reactions. It derives its name from the Russian acronym "toroidalnaya kamera Magnitnaya Katushka" or toroidal magnetic chamber.

    The tokamak is typically constructed as a torus-shaped chamber (doughnut-shaped) made of high-strength materials, such as steel. Within this chamber, a magnetic field is generated using a variety of electromagnets that surround the plasma. These magnetic fields help to confine the hot, ionized gas or plasma inside the torus, preventing it from contacting the chamber walls and dissipating its energy.

    By subjecting the plasma to high temperatures and pressures, the tokamak creates the ideal environment to promote the fusion of light atomic nuclei, such as isotopes of hydrogen. Through this fusion process, large amounts of energy can be released, potentially providing a clean and abundant source of power.

    The tokamak concept was first proposed in the 1950s by Soviet physicists Igor Tamm and Andrei Sakharov, and it has since become the most widely studied and advanced approach for achieving controlled nuclear fusion. Numerous tokamak devices have been constructed worldwide, such as the Joint European Torus (JET) and the ITER project, with the aim of demonstrating sustained fusion reactions and paving the way for future fusion power plants.

Common Misspellings for TOKAMAK

Etymology of TOKAMAK

The word "tokamak" is derived from the Russian acronym "Токамак", which stands for "Тороидальная Камера с Магнитными Катушками" (Toroidal'naya Kamera s Magnitnymi Katushkami), meaning "toroidal chamber with magnetic coils". The term was coined in the Soviet Union in the 1950s when Igor Tamm, Andrei Sakharov, and Lev Artsimovich developed this type of experimental fusion device. French physicist Fernand D. Ter-Mikaelian suggested adopting the acronym "tokamak" to make it more pronounceable in Western languages, and it gained widespread usage in the scientific community.

Plural form of TOKAMAK is TOKAMAKS

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