Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

186 results found

lutetium

(Encyclopedia)lutetium, formerly lutecium both: lo͞otēˈshēəm [key], metallic chemical element; symbol Lu; atomic number 71; at. wt. 174.9668; m.p. about 1,663℃; b.p. about 3,395℃; sp. gr. 9.835 at 25℃; v...

liquid air

(Encyclopedia)liquid air, ordinary air that has been liquefied by compression and cooling to extremely low temperatures (see liquefaction). Its commercial preparation involves purification by washing to remove solu...

thulium

(Encyclopedia)thulium tho͞oˈlēəm [key] [from Thule, an ancient name for Scandinavia], metallic chemical element; symbol Tm; at. no. 69; at. wt. 168.93421; m.p. about 1,545℃; b.p. 1,947℃; sp. gr. 9.3; valenc...

ytterbium

(Encyclopedia)ytterbium ĭtûrˈbēəm [key] [for Ytterby, a town in Sweden], metallic chemical element; symbol Yb; at. no. 70; at. wt. 173.054; m.p. 819℃; b.p. about 1,194℃; sp. gr. about 7.0; valence +2 or +3...

boric acid

(Encyclopedia)boric acid, any one of the three chemical compounds, orthoboric (or boracic) acid, metaboric acid, and tetraboric (or pyroboric) acid; the term often refers simply to orthoboric acid. The acids may be...

salt, chemical compound

(Encyclopedia)salt, chemical compound (other than water) formed by a chemical reaction between an acid and a base (see acids and bases). Salts are also prepared by methods other than neutralization. A metal can c...

occupational disease

(Encyclopedia)occupational disease, illness incurred because of the conditions or environment of employment. Unlike with accidents, some time usually elapses between exposure to the cause and development of symptom...

air pollution

(Encyclopedia)air pollution, contamination of the air by noxious gases and minute particles of solid and liquid matter (particulates) in concentrations that endanger health. The major sources of air pollution are t...

aqua regia

(Encyclopedia)aqua regia rēˈjēə [key] [Lat.,=royal water], corrosive, fuming yellow liquid prepared by mixing one volume of concentrated nitric acid with three to four volumes of concentrated hydrochloric acid....

alumina

(Encyclopedia)alumina əlo͞oˈmĭnə [key] or aluminum oxide, Al2O3, chemical compound with m.p. about 2,000℃ and sp. gr. about 4.0. It is insoluble in water and organic liquids and very slightly soluble in stro...

Browse by Subject