Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

gravitation

(Encyclopedia)gravitation, the attractive force existing between any two particles of matter. The term gravitygravity is commonly used synonymously with gravitation, but in correct usage a definite distinction is...

Penrose, Sir Roger

(Encyclopedia)Penrose, Sir Roger, 1931–, British mathematical physicist, Ph.D. Cambridge, 1958. He taught and conducted research at a number of British and American colleges and universities before becoming a pro...

Albert, German churchman

(Encyclopedia)Albert, 1490–1545, German churchman, cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. A member of the house of Brandenburg, he became (1514) archbishop of Mainz. Because Albert was underage, this appointment ...

Albert, Lake

(Encyclopedia)Albert, Lake, or Albert Nyanza nīănˈzə, nyänˈzä [key], 2,064 sq mi (5,346 sq km), on the Congo (Kinshasa)–Uganda border, E central Africa. The lake is c.100 mi (160 km) long and c.19 mi (30 k...

Vishniac, Roman

(Encyclopedia)Vishniac, Roman vĭshˈnēăk [key], 1897–1990, Russian-American biologist, photographer, linguist, art historian, and philosopher, b. Pavlosk, near St. Petersburg. Vishniac took degrees in medicine...

Bronx, the

(Encyclopedia)Bronx, the, borough of New York City, coextensive with Bronx co. (2020 pop. 1,472,654), land area 42 sq mi (106 sq km), SE N.Y. The name comes from Jona...

Jannequin, Clément

(Encyclopedia)Jannequin, Clément klāmäNˈ zhänəkăNˈ [key], c.1485–1558, French composer, famous for his descriptive four-part chansons about birds, battles, hunts, and other subjects. He also composed mote...

Bose-Einstein statistics

(Encyclopedia)Bose-Einstein statistics, class of statistics that applies to elementary particles called bosons, which include the photon, pion, and the W and Z particles. Bosons have integral values of the quantum ...

Adolf of Nassau

(Encyclopedia)Adolf of Nassau näˈsou [key], d. 1298, duke of Luxembourg, German king (1292–98). He owed his election to the ecclesiastical electors, who, fearing the growing power and ambition of the Hapsburgs,...
 

Browse by Subject