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Dewar flask

(Encyclopedia)Dewar flask [for Sir James Dewar], container after which the common thermos bottle is patterned. It consists of two flasks, one placed inside the other, with a vacuum between. The vacuum prevents the ...

hot spring

(Encyclopedia)hot spring, natural discharge of groundwater having an elevated temperature. Most hot springs result from the emergence of groundwater that has passed through or near recently formed, hot, igneous roc...

brazing

(Encyclopedia)brazing, method of joining metal parts using nonferrous filler metals with high melting points such as copper, silver, and aluminum alloys. Brazing differs from soldering (see solder) by using a highe...

Silver Springs

(Encyclopedia)Silver Springs, mineral spring, N central Fla., source of the Silver River. The limestone spring, one of the world's largest and most famous, has a basin 80 ft (24 m) deep and 300 ft (91 m) wide. The ...

rigor mortis

(Encyclopedia)rigor mortis rĭˈgər môrˈtĭs [key], rigidity of the body that occurs after death. The onset may vary from about 10 min to several hours or more after death, depending on the condition of the body...

zero

(Encyclopedia)zero, that number which, when added to any number, leaves the latter unchanged; its symbol is 0. The introduction of zero into the decimal system was the most significant achievement in the developmen...

Dwight, John

(Encyclopedia)Dwight, John, fl. 1671–98, English potter, reputed founder of the Chelsea porcelain factory. The registration in 1671 of his patent for the “Mistery of transparent earthenware …” is the firs...

Donatus

(Encyclopedia)Donatus (Aelius Donatus) ēˈlēəs dōnätˈəs [key], fl. 4th cent. a.d., Roman grammarian; teacher of St. Jerome. His only well-known work, the Ars grammatica [elements of grammar], was throughout ...

Duhamel du Monceau, Henri Louis

(Encyclopedia)Duhamel du Monceau, Henri Louis äNrēˈ lwē düämĕlˈ dü môNsōˈ [key], 1700–1782, French agriculturist and tree expert. He did experimental work on plant physiology and ecology and wrote The...

piccolo

(Encyclopedia)piccolo, small transverse flute pitched an octave higher than the standard flute. Its tone is bright and shrill, and it can produce the highest notes in the orchestral range. The piccolo is used in or...