Diaphragm may refer to:
Anatomy
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Thoracic diaphragm
The thoracic diaphragm, or simply the diaphragm ( grc, διάφραγμα, diáphragma, partition), is a sheet of internal skeletal muscle in humans and other mammals that extends across the bottom of the thoracic cavity. The diaphragm is the m ...
, a thin sheet of muscle between the thorax and the abdomen
* Pelvic diaphragm or
pelvic floor
The pelvic floor or pelvic diaphragm is composed of muscle fibers of the levator ani, the coccygeus muscle, and associated connective tissue which span the area underneath the pelvis. The pelvic diaphragm is a muscular partition formed by the lev ...
, a pelvic structure
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Urogenital diaphragm
Older texts have asserted the existence of a urogenital diaphragm, also called the triangular ligament, which was described as a layer of the pelvis that separates the deep perineal sac from the upper pelvis, lying between the inferior fascia of ...
or triangular ligament, a pelvic structure
Other
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Diaphragm (optics)
In optics, a diaphragm is a thin opaque structure with an opening (aperture) at its center. The role of the diaphragm is to ''stop'' the passage of light, except for the light passing through the ''aperture''. Thus it is also called a stop (an ...
, a stop in the light path of a lens, having an aperture that regulates the amount of light that passes
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Diaphragm (acoustics)
In the field of acoustics, a diaphragm is a transducer intended to inter-convert mechanical vibrations to sounds, or vice versa. It is commonly constructed of a thin membrane or sheet of various materials, suspended at its edges. The varying air ...
, a thin, semi-rigid membrane that vibrates to produce or transmit sound waves
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Diaphragm (birth control)
The diaphragm is a barrier method of birth control. It is moderately effective, with a one-year failure rate of around 12% with typical use. It is placed over the cervix with spermicide before sex and left in place for at least six hours after s ...
, a small rubber dome placed in the vagina to wall off the cervix, thus preventing sperm from entering
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Diaphragm (mechanical device)
In mechanics, a diaphragm is a sheet of a semi-flexible material anchored at its periphery and most often round in shape. It serves either as a barrier between two chambers, moving slightly up into one chamber or down into the other depending on ...
, a sheet of a semi-flexible material anchored at its periphery
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Diaphragm (structural system)
In structural engineering, a diaphragm is a structural element that transmits lateral loads to the vertical resisting elements of a structure (such as shear walls or frames). Diaphragms are typically horizontal, but can be sloped such as in a gab ...
, a structural engineering system used to resist lateral loads
See also
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Diaphragm arch
A diaphragm arch is a transverse wall-bearing arch forming a partial wall dividing a vault or a ceiling into compartments.
When used under a wooden roof, it has the advantage of providing a partial firebreak. It was first used in Roman Syr ...
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Diaphragm pump
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Diaphragm seal
A diaphragm seal is a flexible membrane that seals and isolates an enclosure. The flexible nature of this seal allows pressure effects to cross the barrier but not the material being contained.
Common uses for diaphragm seals are to protect pres ...
, a membrane that seals an enclosure
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Diaphragm shutter
In photography, a shutter is a device that allows light to pass for a determined period, exposing photographic film or a photosensitive digital sensor to light in order to capture a permanent image of a scene. A shutter can also be used to allow ...
, a type of leaf shutter consisting of a number of thin blades in a camera
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Diaphragm valve
Diaphragm valves (or membrane valves) consists of a valve body with two or more ports, an elastomeric diaphragm, and a "weir or saddle" or seat upon which the diaphragm closes the valve. The valve body may be constructed from plastic, metal, woo ...
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Diaphragm wall
A slurry wall is a civil engineering technique used to build reinforced concrete walls in areas of soft earth close to open water, or with a high groundwater table.
This technique is typically used to build diaphragm (water-blocking) walls surr ...
* ''
Diaphragma'', a genus of algae
*
Lamina (disambiguation)
Lamina may refer to:
Science and technology
* Planar lamina, a two-dimensional planar closed surface with mass and density, in mathematics
* Laminar flow, (or streamline flow) occurs when a fluid flows in parallel layers, with no disruption betwee ...
*
Membrane (disambiguation) Membrane most commonly means a thin, selective barrier, but it is sometimes used for films that function as separators, like biological membranes. Membrane may also refer to:
Biology:
* Isolating tissues formed by layers of cells
** Amnion, a memb ...
{{disambiguation
