Glossary (Version 8.4)

The sensation of being warm. Warmth of a fabric is determined by the arrangement of fibres, fibre size, shape and structure and thermal conductive properties of the fibres. Generally speaking, the smaller and finer the fibres, the more insulating the garment, because more air is trapped between the fibres. Protein-based fibres (wool, fur) and polypropylene and polyester are the least thermally conductive materials.

A way water resources are monitored and used by humans. This can include the use of dams, irrigation systems, bores, windmills and testing the quality of water and levels of pollution.

Systems that supply water in a manner that maximises the plant growth associated with each unit of applied water. Irrigation systems may use targeted delivery into the root zone of plants or may apply water to minimise losses through evaporation or soil infiltration.

A computer program designed to assist in the creation of web pages. Simple web-authoring software may take a form of a basic text editor, or may contain more advanced features that allow for editing the content and layout of a web page.

A set of instructions in a loop with a test at the top – a programmatic implementation of iteration or repeat. The beginning and ending of the loop may be indicated by key words ‘while’ and ‘endwhile’; however, this will vary depending on the syntax of the programming language used. Sometimes it is referred to as a ‘do while’ loop and in some languages a ‘do’ loop is used instead.

A device that transmits and receives data from other sources, using electromagnetic radiation (for example, radio waves) rather than being connected by electrical conductors such as wires. A common example of a wireless device is a mobile phone, which uses radio waves of a specific frequency to connect to telecommunications towers for the purpose of communication.

The thickness of a wool fibre measured in microns (the millionth part of a metre). The smaller the measure, the finer the fibre.

Engineering simulation software product that, when run, can be used to test how virtual components interact. A program can simulate various interactions of the parts (components) and graph the movement and force on any element in a system. These working models are also known as prototypes and can be used to evaluate performance, and make alterations and improvements if necessary.