bipropellant rocket. A rocket using two separate propellants which are kept separate until they are mixed in the combustion chamber.
bisector of a line. A point on the line that divides it into two segments of equal length.
bisector of an angle. A line that divides an angle into two equal angles.
bismuth. A heavy metallic, pentavalent chemical element. Bismuth is brittle, grayish-white, crystalline, and highly diamagnetic. Bismuth’s symbol is Bi, its atomic number is 83, and its atomic weight is 208.980.
Bismuth is often used to dope silicon or germanium to make P-type semiconductor material and is also used as an alloying agent for changing the characteristic of certain metals.
bistable. A condition of a mechanical or electrical device in which either of two conditions may exist as a steady state.
bistable circuit (electronic circuit). A circuit having two stable conditions. Either condition may be chosen, and the circuit will operate in that condition until it is purposely changed. The circuit will not change its condition by itself.
bistable multivibrator (electronic circuit). A type of oscillator using two transistors. Only one transistor conducts at a time, and it will continue to conduct until an external pulse causes it to stop conducting. When the first transistor stops conducting, the second transistor automatically begins to conduct.