Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

361 results found

formic acid

(Encyclopedia)formic acid or methanoic acid mĕthˌənōˈĭk [key], HCO2H, a colorless, corrosive liquid with a sharp odor; it boils at 100.7℃ and solidifies at 8.4℃. It has the lowest molecular weight and is ...

ammonium nitrate

(Encyclopedia)ammonium nitrate, chemical compound, NH4NO3, that exists as colorless, rhombohedral crystals at room temperature but changes to monoclinic crystals when heated above 32℃. It is extremely soluble in ...

acetone

(Encyclopedia)acetone prōˈpənōn [key], CH3COCH3, colorless, flammable liquid. Acetone melts at −94.8℃ and boils at 56.2℃. It is the simplest aliphatic ketone. Acetone is widely used in industry as a solve...

molasses

(Encyclopedia)molasses, sugar byproduct, the brownish liquid residue left after heat crystallization of sucrose (commercial sugar) in the process of refining. Molasses contains chiefly the uncrystallizable sugars a...

Nuuk

(Encyclopedia)Nuuk gôtˈhôp [key], town (1996 pop. 12,882), Nuuk dist., W Greenland, on the Godthåbfjord. The largest town and capital of Greenland, it is the seat of the national council and of the supreme cour...

Kent, cities, United States

(Encyclopedia)Kent. 1 Industrial city (1990 pop. 28,835), Portage co., NE Ohio; settled in 1805 as Franklin Mills, combined with Carthage and renamed as Kent 1863, inc. as a city 1920. Machinery and processed foods...

Landau, Lev Davidovich

(Encyclopedia)Landau, Lev Davidovich lyĕf dəvēˈdəvĭch ləndouˈ [key], 1908–68, Soviet physicist, b. Baku, Azerbaijan. A child prodigy in mathematics, he entered Baku Univ. at 14; at 21 he received a doctor...

paraldehyde

(Encyclopedia)paraldehyde pârălˈdəhīdˌ [key], nervous system depressant similar to alcohol in its effects and used as a sedative. A colorless flammable liquid with a disagreeable odor, paraldehyde produces sl...

skin patch

(Encyclopedia)skin patch, transdermal patch, or transdermal delivery system, adhesive patch used to deliver a controlled dose of a drug through the skin over a period of time. A skin patch uses a special membrane ...

pickle

(Encyclopedia)pickle, general term for fruits or vegetables preserved in vinegar or brine, usually with spices or sugar or both. Vegetables commonly pickled include the beet, cabbage, cauliflower, cucumber, olive, ...