Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

molecule

(Encyclopedia)molecule mŏlˈəkyo͞ol [key] [New Lat.,=little mass], smallest particle of a compound that has all the chemical properties of that compound. A single atom is usually not referred to as a molecule, a...

Lloydminster

(Encyclopedia)Lloydminster loidˈmĭnstər [key], city (1991 pop. in Alberta, 10,042; in Saskatchewan, 7,241), on the Alta.-Sask. boundary, Canada. The city is chartered by both provinces. Farming and ranching are ...

Hawthorne

(Encyclopedia)Hawthorne. 1 City (2020 pop. 88,083), Los Angeles co., S Calif., a suburb of Los Angeles; inc. 1922. Located in an oil- and gas-producing area, ...

ethylene

(Encyclopedia)ethylene ĕthˈēn [key], H2C=CH2, a gaseous unsaturated hydrocarbon. It is the simplest alkene. Ethylene is colorless, has a faint odor, and has a slightly sweet taste; it melts at −169.4℃ and bo...

Turkmenistan

(Encyclopedia)CE5 Turkmenistan to͞orkmyĕˌnyĭstänˈ [key], republic (2015 est. pop. 5,565,000), 188,455 sq mi (488,100 sq km), central Asia. It borders on Afghanistan and Iran in the south, Uzbekistan in the...

chemical warfare

(Encyclopedia)chemical warfare, employment in war of incendiaries, poison gases, and other chemical substances. Ancient armies attacking or defending fortified cities threw burning oil and fireballs. A primitive ty...

compound

(Encyclopedia)compound, in chemistry, a substance composed of atoms of two or more elements in chemical combination, occurring in a fixed, definite proportion and arranged in a fixed, definite structure. A compound...

Levelland

(Encyclopedia)Levelland lĕvˈəlăndˌ [key], city (1990 pop. 13,986), seat of Hockley co., NW Tex., on the Llano Estacado; inc. 1926. The economy is based chiefly on oil and gas, agriculture, and the manufacture ...

Liberal

(Encyclopedia)Liberal, city (1990 pop. 16,573), seat of Seward co., SW Kans.; founded 1888, inc. 1945. It is the trade center for a grazing and farm area. Oil and natural gas are extracted, and helium is processed ...

Mace, chemical spray

(Encyclopedia)Mace, chemical spray device used by police in riot control. Mace is ordinary tear gas (chloroacetophenone, or CN) in a volatile solvent contained in a spray can. It causes severe lacrimation and tempo...

Browse by Subject