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Zhiguli Mountains

(Encyclopedia)Zhiguli Mountains zhēgo͞olyēˈ [key], wooded range, E European Russia, in the Samara bend of the Volga River at Samara. They rise to c.2,220 ft (680 m) and are rich in oil, which is piped to Samara...

slipware

(Encyclopedia)slipware, pottery decorated with various colors of slip, a thin mixture of clay and water. Slip may form a design on a contrasting background, or lines may be scratched through a coating of slip to sh...

Strawberry valley project

(Encyclopedia)Strawberry valley project, N central Utah, developed by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation for irrigating lands S of Utah Lake; constructed 1906–13. The water of Strawberry River and its tributaries is ...

undine

(Encyclopedia)undine əndēnˈ, ŭnˈdēn [key], in folklore, female water sprite who could acquire a soul by marrying a human being. If, however, her lover proved unfaithful, she had to return to the sea. The lege...

Solent, The

(Encyclopedia)Solent, The sōˈlənt [key], channel, c.30 mi (50 km) long and 3⁄4 to 5 mi (1.2–8 km) wide, between the Isle of Wight and Hampshire, S England. It serves as an anchorage for ships entering Southa...

hygrometer

(Encyclopedia)hygrometer hīgrŏmˈətər [key], instrument used to measure the moisture content of a gas, as in determining the relative humidity of air. The temperature at which dew or frost forms is a measure of...

mussel

(Encyclopedia)mussel, edible freshwater or marine bivalve mollusk. Mussels are able to move slowly by means of the muscular foot. They feed and breathe by filtering water through extensible tubes called siphons; a ...

Le Châtelier's principle

(Encyclopedia)Le Châtelier's principle, chemical principle that states that if a system in equilibrium is disturbed by changes in determining factors, such as temperature, pressure, and concentration of components...

pavement

(Encyclopedia)pavement, the wearing surface of a road, street, or sidewalk. Parts of Babylon and Troy are believed to have been paved; Roman roads were noted for their durable stone paving. Cobblestones were common...

Red Sea

(Encyclopedia)Red Sea, ancient Sinus Arabicus or Erythraean Sea, narrow sea, c.170,000 sq mi (440,300 sq km), c.1,450 mi (2,330 km) long and up to 225 mi ...