Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

cupric sulfate

(Encyclopedia)cupric sulfate ko͞oˈprĭk sŭlˈfāt, kyo͞oˈ– [key] or copper (II) sulfate, chemical compound, CuSO4, taking the form of white rhombohedral crystals or amorphous powder. It decomposes at 650℃ ...

cyanide

(Encyclopedia)cyanide sīˈənīdˌ [key], chemical compound containing the cyano group, –CN. Cyanides are salts or esters of hydrogen cyanide (hydrocyanic acid, HCN) formed by replacing the hydrogen with a metal...

hydrazine

(Encyclopedia)hydrazine hīˈdrəzēnˌ [key], chemical compound, formula NH2NH2, m.p. 1.4℃, b.p. 113.5℃, specific gravity 1.011 at 15℃. It is very soluble in water and soluble in alcohol. At ordinary tempera...

energy

(Encyclopedia)CE5 Relations between potential energy (PE) and kinetic energy (KE) for a swinging pendulum energy, in physics, the ability or capacity to do work or to produce change. Forms of energy include hea...

Krebs cycle

(Encyclopedia)Krebs cycle, series of chemical reactions carried out in the living cell; in most higher animals, including humans, it is essential for the oxidative metabolism of glucose and other simple sugars. The...

polymer

(Encyclopedia)CE5 A. Addition polymerization: Two ethylene molecules, C2H4, combine to form two links in the polyethylene chain molecule (C2H4)n. B. Condensation polymerization: Two glycine molecules, NH2CH2COOH...

ink

(Encyclopedia)ink, pigmented fluid used for writing and drawing, or a viscous compound used for printing, both of various colors but most frequently black. The oldest known variety, India ink or China ink, is still...

acids and bases

(Encyclopedia)acids and bases, two related classes of chemicals; the members of each class have a number of common properties when dissolved in a solvent, usually water. Another theory that provides a very broad ...

Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons

(Encyclopedia)Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), international body (est. 1997) responsible for the implementation of the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC), which aims at the destruction o...

corrosion

(Encyclopedia)corrosion, atmospheric oxidation of metals (see oxidation and reduction). By far the most important form of corrosion is the rusting of iron. Rusting is essentially a process of oxidation in which iro...

Browse by Subject