Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

physical chemistry

(Encyclopedia)physical chemistry, branch of science that combines the principles and methods of physics and chemistry. It provides a fundamental theoretical and experimental basis for all of chemistry, including or...

Holden, Oliver

(Encyclopedia)Holden, Oliver hōlˈdən [key], 1765–1844, American composer and compiler of hymns, b. Shirley, Mass. His popular tune Coronation, to Edward Perronet's hymn All Hail the Power of Jesus' Name, first...

law of simple multiple proportions

(Encyclopedia)law of simple multiple proportions, in chemistry, the statement that when two or more elements form more than one compound, the ratio of the weights of one element that combine with a given weight of ...

formula, in chemistry

(Encyclopedia)formula, in chemistry, an expression showing the chemical composition of a compound. Formulas of compounds are used in writing the equations (see chemical equations) that represent chemical reactions....

Stoddart, James Fraser

(Encyclopedia)Stoddart, James Fraser, 1942–, British chemist, Ph.D. Univ. of Edinburgh, 1966. He began his career at Sheffield Univ., England, in 1970, then moved to Birmingham Univ., England, in 1990, the Univ. ...

melting point

(Encyclopedia)melting point, temperature at which a substance changes its state from solid to liquid. Under standard atmospheric pressure different pure crystalline solids will each melt at a different specific tem...

Feringa, Bernard Lucas

(Encyclopedia)Feringa, Bernard Lucas, 1951–, Dutch organic chemist, Ph.D. Univ. of Groningen, Netherlands, 1978. He has been on the faculty at the Univ. of Groningen since 1984. Feringa was jointly awarded the 20...

Gramme, Zénobe-Théophile

(Encyclopedia)Gramme, Zénobe-Théophile zānôbˈ tāôfēlˈ gräm [key], 1826–1901, Belgian electrical engineer. While working as a model maker for a Parisian manufacturer of electrical devices, Gramme became ...

Canonsburg

(Encyclopedia)Canonsburg, borough (2020 pop. 8,672), Washington co., SW Pa., inc. 1802. Its steel and coal industries have declined significantly. A gram of radium pr...

Mulliken, Robert Sanderson

(Encyclopedia)Mulliken, Robert Sanderson, 1896–1986, American chemist, b. Newburyport, Mass., Ph.D. Univ. of Chicago, 1921. Mulliken taught at New York Univ. from 1926 to 1928 and then at the Univ. of Chicago fro...