Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

336 results found

silver nitrate

(Encyclopedia)silver nitrate nīˈtrāt [key], chemical compound, AgNO3, a colorless crystalline material that is very soluble in water. The most important compound of silver, it is used in the preparation of silve...

chemical reaction

(Encyclopedia)chemical reaction, process by which one or more substances may be transformed into one or more new substances. Energy is released or is absorbed, but no loss in total molecular weight occurs. When, fo...

stannic

(Encyclopedia)stannic: a chemical compound containing tin in the +4 valence state. ...

stannous

(Encyclopedia)stannous: a chemical compound containing tin in the +2 valence state. ...

chelating agents

(Encyclopedia)chelating agents kēˈlātĭng [key]. Certain organic compounds are capable of forming coordinate bonds (see chemical bond) with metals through two or more atoms of the organic compound; such organic ...

sodium sulfate

(Encyclopedia)sodium sulfate, chemical compound, Na2SO4. It is a white, orthorhombic crystalline compound at ordinary temperatures; above 100℃ it assumes a monoclinic structure, and above about 250℃ it assumes ...

chloride

(Encyclopedia)chloride klōrˈīd, klôrˈ– [key], chemical compound containing chlorine. Most chlorides are salts that are formed either by direct union of chlorine with a metal or by reaction of hydrochloric ac...

titration

(Encyclopedia)titration tītrāˈshən [key], gradual addition of an acidic solution to a basic solution or vice versa (see acids and bases); titrations are used to determine the concentration of acids or bases in ...

milk of magnesia

(Encyclopedia)milk of magnesia, common name for the chemical compound magnesium hydroxide, Mg(OH)2. The viscous, white, mildly alkaline mixture that is used medicinally as an antacid and laxative is a suspension of...

microscope

(Encyclopedia)CE5 Compound microscope microscope, optical instrument used to increase the apparent size of an object. The electron microscope, which is not limited by the powers of optical lenses and light,...

Browse by Subject