The sum of the addendum and dedendum in gears is commonly referred to as what?

The sum of the addendum and dedendum in gears is known as the whole depth. The addendum is the height of the tooth above the pitch circle, while the dedendum is the depth of the tooth below the pitch circle. When these two measurements are combined, they give the total depth of the tooth space, indicating the full vertical extent of the gear tooth. This term is crucial in gear design, as it helps engineers ensure that there is sufficient space to accommodate the teeth without interference during operation, which is essential for smooth meshing and efficient transmission of power.

The other options do not accurately reflect this combination. Full depth typically refers to the depth of involute gears, the width of space relates to the distance between teeth or spaces in gears, and working depth refers to the effective depth of the teeth during operation, which does not encompass the total dimensions represented by addendum and dedendum.