Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

weber, unit of magnetic flux

(Encyclopedia)weber vāˈbər, wē–, wĕbˈər [key] [for W. E. Weber], abbr. Wb, unit of magnetic flux in the mks system of weights and measures; 1 Wb is equal to 1 volt-second. The weber per square meter, calle...

Vladikavkaz

(Encyclopedia)Vladikavkaz vlədyēˈkävkäz [key], city (1989 pop. 300,000), capital of North Ossetia-Alania, SE European Russia, on the Terek River and at the northern foot of the Caucasus. It is the starting poi...

transistor

(Encyclopedia) CE5 Simple transistor circuit transistor, three-terminal, solid-state electronic device used for amplification and switching. It is the solid-state analog to the triode electron tube; the transist...

commerce, in economics

(Encyclopedia)commerce, traffic in goods, usually thought of as trade between states or nations. Engaged in by all peoples from the earliest times, it has been carried on in some areas and by some peoples more than...

psychological test

(Encyclopedia)psychological test, any of a variety of testing procedures for measuring psychological traits and behavior, or for studying some specialized aspect of ability. Several forms of testing have arisen fro...

photoelectric cell

(Encyclopedia) CE5 Photoelectric cell: Light causes a photosensitive surface to emit electrons, which flow as current to the positive terminal. A galvanometer measures the current and thus indicates light intensi...

Riverside

(Encyclopedia)Riverside. 1 City (1990 pop. 226,505), seat of Riverside co., S Calif.; inc. 1883. One of the fastest growing U.S. cities in the late 20th cent., it is famous for its orange industry. The navel orange...

sleep apnea

(Encyclopedia)sleep apnea, episodes of interrupted breathing during sleep. Obstructive sleep apnea is a common disorder in which relaxation of muscles in the throat repeatedly close off the airway during sleep; the...

Iacocca, Lee

(Encyclopedia)Iacocca, Lee (Lido Anthony Iacocca) īˌəkōˈkə [key], 1924–2019, American automobile business executive, b. Allentown, Pa., grad. Lehigh Univ. (1945), Princeton (M.A., 1946). That year he joined...

Auckland

(Encyclopedia)Auckland ôkˈlənd [key], city (2021 pop. 1,630,092), N North Island, New Zealand. It is situated on an isthmus and is the largest urban region and chief port of the coun...
 

Browse by Subject