Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

McPherson

(Encyclopedia)McPherson, city (1990 pop. 12,422), seat of McPherson co., central Kans., in a farm area on the old Santa Fe Trail; inc. 1874. The city has an oil refinery and factories that make plastics, railroad e...

Kirkland

(Encyclopedia)Kirkland, city (1990 pop. 40,052), King co., W Wash., a suburb of Seattle on Lake Washington; inc. 1905. The city produces semiconductors, transformers, prefabricated metal buildings, heating and navi...

platinite

(Encyclopedia)platinite, alloy that is 46% nickel and 54% iron. It is used in the manufacture of electric lightbulbs because its coefficient of expansion, i.e., the rate at which its volume increases with temperatu...

Windham

(Encyclopedia)Windham, town (1990 pop. 22,039), Windham co., E Conn.; inc. 1692. It includes the industrial city of Willimantic where rubber, radio and electric parts, machinery, steel, and insulation are manufactu...

Derby, city, United States

(Encyclopedia)Derby dûrˈbē [key]. <1> city (2020 pop. 12,325), New Haven co., SW Conn., at the con...

capacitance

(Encyclopedia)capacitance, in electricity, capability of a body, system, circuit, or device for storing electric charge. Capacitance is expressed as the ratio of stored charge in coulombs to the impressed potential...

steam engine

(Encyclopedia)CE5 Steam engine steam engine, machine for converting heat energy into mechanical energy using steam as a medium, or working fluid. When water is converted into steam it expands, its volume increa...

Woodstock, city, Canada

(Encyclopedia)Woodstock, city (1991 pop. 30,075), S Ont., Canada, SW of Hamilton. It is an industrial center with diversified manufactures such as electric generators, fire engines, reed organs, auto parts, and tex...

Ames

(Encyclopedia)Ames, city (2020 pop. 66,427), Story co., central Iowa, on the Skunk River; inc. 1870. Its chief manufactures are electronic, water-analysis, and water-treatment equipment; motor vehicles;...

Mushin

(Encyclopedia)Mushin mo͞oˈshĭn [key], city (1987 est. pop. 266,000), SW Nigeria, an industrial and residential suburb of Lagos. Manufactures include textiles, furniture, printed materials, metal products, plasti...

Browse by Subject