Noun: cross section krós sek-shun
- A section created by a plane cutting a solid perpendicular to its longest axis
"The geologist examined the cross section of the rock formation"
- (statistics) a sample meant to be representative of a whole population
"The survey included a cross section of voters from different age groups and backgrounds"
- (physics) the probability that a particular interaction (as capture or ionization) will take place between particles; measured in barns
"The scientists calculated the cross section of the nuclear reaction"
Derived forms: cross sections
Type of: chance, plane section, probability, sample, section
Encyclopedia: Cross section