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calcium chloride

(Encyclopedia)calcium chloride, CaCl2, chemical compound that is crystalline, lumpy, or flaky, is usually white, and is very soluble in water. The anhydrous compound is hygroscopic; it rapidly absorbs water and is ...

Bonneville Dam

(Encyclopedia)Bonneville Dam bŏnˈəvĭl [key], one of the major dams on the Columbia River where it passes through the Cascade Mts., between Oregon and Wash. The dam, 2,690 ft (820 m) long and 197 ft (60 m) high,...

Wild, Jonathan

(Encyclopedia)Wild, Jonathan, 1683–1725, English criminal. He maintained a highly organized gang of thieves in London and long escaped punishment by posing as an instrument of justice and helping the authorities ...

Assassin

(Encyclopedia)Assassin əsăsˈĭn [key], European name for the member of a secret order of the Ismaili sect of Islam. They are known as Nizaris after Nizar ibn al-Mustansir, whom they supported as caliph; the Euro...

Karakalpakstan Republic

(Encyclopedia)Karakalpakstan Republic käˌrəkŭlpäkˈ [key], autonomous republic (1992 pop. 1,312,000), c.61,000 sq mi (158,000 sq km), W Uzbekistan, on the Amu Darya River. Nukus is the capital. The republic co...

Hastert, Dennis

(Encyclopedia)Hastert, Dennis (John Dennis “Denny” Hastert) hăsˈtərt [key], 1942–, U.S. congressman, Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives (1999–2007), b. Aurora, Ill. He attended Wheaton College ...

fungicide

(Encyclopedia)fungicide fŭnˈjəsīdˌ, fŭngˈgə– [key], any substance used to destroy fungi. Some fungi are extremely damaging to crops (see diseases of plants), and others cause diseases in humans and other ...

gadolinium

(Encyclopedia)gadolinium gădəlĭnˈēəm [key], metallic chemical element; symbol Gd; at. no. 64; at. wt. 157.25; m.p. 1,312℃; b.p. 3,233℃; sp. gr. 7.898 at 25℃; valence +3. Gadolinium is a malleable, ducti...

toxic waste

(Encyclopedia)toxic waste is waste material, often in chemical form, that can cause death or injury to living creatures. It usually is the product of industry or commerce, but comes also from residential use, agric...

Reid, Whitelaw

(Encyclopedia)Reid, Whitelaw, 1837–1912, American journalist and diplomat, b. near Xenia, Ohio. His distinguished correspondence during the Civil War for the Cincinnati Gazette led Horace Greeley to make him mana...