tverrsnittets

Tverrsnittets is the genitive form of the Norwegian noun tverrsnitt, meaning cross-section. In technical writing, tverrsnittets appears in phrases that refer to the cross-sectional properties of a body, such as tverrsnittets areal (the cross-sectional area) or tverrsnittets form (the cross-section’s shape).

A cross-section is the intersection of a solid object with a plane. In mathematics, it is the two-dimensional figure obtained by this intersection. In engineering, architecture, and anatomy, cross-sections are used to analyze and describe the geometry and properties of objects. Common considerations include the shape of the cross-section, its area, centroid, and the second moment of area, which impact strength, stiffness, and other physical characteristics.

Types and examples vary with orientation and object. A plane cut perpendicular to a cylinder yields a circle; a plane cut obliquely can produce an ellipse. For prisms and cylinders, simple cross-sections are often rectangles or circles, while irregular solids may yield polygons or curved shapes. In practice, cross-sectional data are used to model load paths, flow profiles, or anatomical slices, depending on the field.

Calculation and measurement typically involve geometry and calculus. The cross-sectional area A is central for many design and analysis tasks, and the centroid and second moment of area I describe how the area is distributed about axes. For irregular profiles, integration or planimetric methods may be required.

Etymology: from tverr- “across” + snitt “cut,” with the possessive suffix -ets. See also tverrsnitt, cross-section, and related concepts.