Coil or COIL may refer to:

Geometry

Helix A helix (; ) is a shape like a cylindrical coil spring or the thread of a machine screw. It is a type of smooth space curve with tangent lines at a constant angle to a fixed axis. Helices are important in biology, as the DNA molecule is for ...

, a space curve that winds around a line *

Spiral In mathematics, a spiral is a curve which emanates from a point, moving further away as it revolves around the point. It is a subtype of whorled patterns, a broad group that also includes concentric objects. Two-dimensional A two-dimension ...

, a curve that winds around a central point

Science and technology

* Coil (chemistry), a tube used to cool and condense steam from a distillation *

Coil spring A tension coil spring A coil spring is a mechanical device that typically is used to store energy and subsequently release it, to absorb shock, or to maintain a force between contacting surfaces. It is made of an elastic material formed into the ...

, used to store energy, absorb shock, or maintain a force between two surfaces *

Inductor An inductor, also called a coil, choke, or reactor, is a Passivity (engineering), passive two-terminal electronic component, electrical component that stores energy in a magnetic field when an electric current flows through it. An inductor typic ...

or coil, a passive two-terminal electrical component *

Electromagnetic coil An electromagnetic coil is an electrical Electrical conductivity, conductor such as a wire in the shape of a wiktionary:coil, coil (spiral or helix). Electromagnetic coils are used in electrical engineering, in applications where electric curre ...

, formed when a conductor is wound around a core or form to create an inductor or electromagnet **

Induction coil An induction coil or "spark coil" ( archaically known as an inductorium or Ruhmkorff coil after Heinrich Rühmkorff) is a type of transformer used to produce high-voltage pulses from a low-voltage direct current (DC) supply. p.98 To create the ...

, a type of electrical transformer used to produce high-voltage pulses from a low-voltage direct current supply ***

Ignition coil An ignition coil is used in the ignition system of a spark-ignition engine to transform the battery voltage to the much higher voltages required to operate the spark plug(s). The spark plugs then use this burst of high-voltage electricity to ig ...

, used in internal combustion engines to create a pulse of high voltage for a spark plug *

Intrauterine device An intrauterine device (IUD), also known as an intrauterine contraceptive device (IUCD or ICD) or coil, is a small, often T-shaped birth control device that is inserted into the uterus to prevent pregnancy. IUDs are a form of long-acting rever ...

or coil, a contraceptive device *

Chemical oxygen iodine laser A chemical oxygen iodine laser (COIL) is a near–infrared chemical laser. As the beam is infrared, it cannot be seen with the naked eye. It is capable of output power scaling up to megawatts in continuous mode. Its output wavelength is 1315&nbs ...

, a near–infrared chemical laser * Coil, a binary digit or

bit The bit is the most basic unit of information in computing and digital communication. The name is a portmanteau of binary digit. The bit represents a logical state with one of two possible values. These values are most commonly represented as ...

in some communication protocols such as Modbus * COIL, the gene that encodes the protein

coilin Coilin is a protein that in humans is encoded by the ''COIL'' gene. Coilin got its name from the coiled shape of the Cajal bodies in which it is found. It was first identified using human autoimmune serum. Function Coilin protein is one of th ...

Coiled tubing In the oil and gas industry, coiled tubing refers to a long metal pipe, normally in diameter which is supplied spooled on a large reel. It is used for Well intervention, interventions in oil well, oil and gas wells and sometimes as production ...

, a long metal pipe which is supplied spooled on a large reel

Music

Coil (band) Coil were an English experimental music group formed in 1982 in London and dissolved in 2005. Initially envisioned as a solo project by musician John Balance (of the band Psychic TV), Coil evolved into a full-time project with the addition of h ...

, an English experimental band * ''Coil'' (album), a 1997 album by Toad the Wet Sprocket * "Coil", a song by Opeth from ''

Watershed Watershed may refer to: Hydrology * Drainage divide, the line that separates neighbouring drainage basins * Drainage basin, an area of land where surface water converges (North American usage) Music * Watershed Music Festival, an annual country ...

Fictional entities

The Coil COBRA (sometimes referred to as Cobra Command) is a fictional terrorist organization and the nemesis of the G.I. Joe Team in the Hasbro action figure toyline '' G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero'' and '' G.I. Joe: Sigma 6'', as well as in related ...

, a fictional organization in the ''G.I. Joe'' universe * Magnemite or Coil, a ''Pokémon'' character * Coil, a crime lord from the web serial ''

Worm Worms are many different distantly related bilateria, bilateral animals that typically have a long cylindrical tube-like body, no limb (anatomy), limbs, and usually no eyes. Worms vary in size from microscopic to over in length for marine ...

People with the surname

Alison Coil Alison Laurel Coil is an American astrophysicist whose research studies the evolution of galaxies, including active galactic nuclei, gas flow into and out of galaxies and its effects on star formation, and the effects on galaxies of the struct ...

, American astrophysicist *

Liam Mac Cóil Liam Mac Cóil is an Irish language novelist, a critic, and an essayist. Career Born in Dublin in 1952, Liam Mac Cóil lives in the Gaeltacht of Ráth Cairn, County Meath. Before becoming a full-time writer he worked for a time at An Coiste Téa ...

, Irish novelist

Other uses

* Coil (hieroglyph), an Egyptian hieratic hieroglyph * Coiled basketry, using grasses, rushes and pine needles *

Coiling (pottery) Coiling is a method of creating pottery. The coiling technique is used to construct ceramic vessels through the repeated winding of long, cylindrical pieces of clay on top of one another. This technique can be used in combination with other techn ...

, a method of creating pottery * ''Coil'' (video game), a video game by Edmund McMillen and Florian Himsl * Turmoil or burden, as in mortal coil *

Coiling A coiling or coil is a curve, helix, or spiral used for storing rope or cable in compact and reliable yet easily attainable form. They are often discussed with knots. Mountaineer's coil The mountaineer's coil (also alpine coil, climber's coi ...