Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

electronegativity

(Encyclopedia)electronegativity ĭlĕkˌtrōnĕgətĭvˈətē [key], in chemistry, tendency for an atom to attract a pair of electrons that it shares with another atom (see chemical bond). For example, the molecule...

Pskov

(Encyclopedia)Pskov pəskôfˈ [key], city (1989 pop. 204,000), capital of Pskov region, NW European Russia, on the Velikaya River. It is an important rail junction in the heart of a flax-growing area. Industries i...

rheology

(Encyclopedia)rheology rēŏlˈəjē [key], branch of physics dealing with the deformation and flow of matter. It is particularly concerned with the properties of matter that determine its behavior when a mechanica...

Gresham, Sir Thomas

(Encyclopedia)Gresham, Sir Thomas grĕshˈəm [key], 1519?–1579, English merchant and financier. As the royal financial agent in Antwerp after 1551 he proved himself very able, though his methods were frequently ...

fiat money

(Encyclopedia)fiat money fīˈət, fīˈăt [key], inconvertible money that is made legal tender by the decree, or fiat, of the government but that is not covered by a specie reserve. It is commonly understood to b...

Callao

(Encyclopedia)Callao käyouˈ [key], city, capital of the constitutional prov. of Callao, W Peru, on Callao...

Udine

(Encyclopedia)Udine o͞oˈdēnā [key], city (1991 pop. 99,189), capital of Udine prov., Friuli–Venezia Giulia, NE Italy. Manufactures include machinery, textiles, metals, and chemicals. In the 10th cent. Emperor...

casting

(Encyclopedia)casting or founding, shaping of metal by melting and pouring into a mold. Most castings, especially large ones, are made in sand molds. Sand, mixed with a binder to hold it together, is pressed around...

Warwick, city, United States

(Encyclopedia)Warwick wôrˈwĭk, wŏˈrĭk [key], city (1990 pop. 85,427), Kent co., central R.I., at the head of Narragansett Bay; settled by Samuel Gortone 1642, inc. as a city 1931. Its long important textile i...

Odessa, city, Ukraine

(Encyclopedia)Odessa , Rus. ədyĕˈsə [key], Ukr. Odesa, city (1989 pop. 1,115,000), capital of Odessa region, in Ukraine, a port on Odessa Bay of the Black Sea. The third largest Ukrainian city after Kiev and Kh...

Browse by Subject