Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

Severodvinsk

(Encyclopedia)Severodvinsk syĕˈvĕrŏdvinsk [key], city (1989 pop. 249,000), NW European Russia, on the Dvina Bay of the White Sea. The main industries are shipbuilding, lumbering, and transshipment. It is a base...

fermented milk

(Encyclopedia)fermented milk, whole or skim milk curdled to beverage or custardlike consistency by lactic-acid-producing microorganisms. Many forms of fermented milk were used by early nomadic herders, especially i...

Graham, Thomas

(Encyclopedia)Graham, Thomas, 1805–69, Scottish chemist, best known for research in diffusion in both gases and liquids that led to his formulation of Graham's law. His discovery that certain substances (e.g., gl...

acetate

(Encyclopedia)acetate ăsˈĭtātˌ [key], one of the most important forms of artificial cellulose-based fibers; the ester of acetic acid. The first patents for the production of fibers from cellulose acetate appea...

petrochemical

(Encyclopedia)petrochemical, any one of a large group of chemicals derived from a component of petroleum or natural gas. The cracking processes for manufacturing gasoline produce vast quantities of gaseous hydrocar...

umkokola

(Encyclopedia)umkokola, small, thorny S and E African tree (Dovyalis caffra, also called kei-apple), widely cultivated in its native area for the round or oval bright yellow fruits. Their juicy pulp, acid in flavor...

Bloch, Konrad Emil

(Encyclopedia)Bloch, Konrad Emil, 1912–2000, American biochemist, b. Neisse, Germany (now Nysa, Poland). He became a U.S. citizen in 1944. Bloch was educated at Munich and at Columbia (Ph.D., 1938). He taught at ...

silica gel

(Encyclopedia)silica gel, chemical compound. It is a colloidal form of silica, and usually resembles coarse white sand. It may be prepared by partial dehydration of metasilicic acid, H2SiO3. Because it has many tin...

anemia

(Encyclopedia)anemia ənēˈmēə [key], condition in which the concentration of hemoglobin in the circulating blood is below normal. Such a condition is caused by a deficient number of erythrocytes (red blood cell...

Goldsboro

(Encyclopedia)Goldsboro, city (2020 pop. 33,657), seat of Wayne co., E central N.C.; inc. 1847. Goldsboro is a marketplace for bright-leaf tobacco and a shipping cent...

Browse by Subject