Form factor

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Form factor has several meanings:

• The linear dimensions and configuration of a device, as distinguished from other measures of size (for example Gigabytes, a measure of storage size).
  • In manufactured components, such as integrated circuits or light bulbs, distinct products of the same form factor might fit into the same socket, mount or assembly location.
  • in computing, form factor is used to describe the size and format of PC motherboards (see AT, ATX, WTX, BTX, Mini-ITX, SSI CEB), but also of hard drives, power supplies, cases, and add-in cards. The term can also be used to refer to the shape of a housing or package or mechanical connection associated with a device or mechanism within the context of its interface with other devices or mechanisms, also in regard to a human interface. See Small form factor.
• in engineering, the form factor is the proportion of radiation leaving one surface which is intercepted by another surface. This meaning of form factor is used in radiative heat transfer, illumination engineering, and computer graphics.
• in physics there are electric form factor and magnetic form factor which are Fourier transforms of charge and current distributions respectively.
• in electronics, the form factor of an alternating current waveform (signal) is the ratio of the RMS (Root Mean Square) value to the average value.
• in fluid dynamics, the form factor is used in some equations that compute drag.
• in forestry, the form factor is used to estimate volume of and timber yield from a species (of trees in a forest stand)