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spark

(Encyclopedia)spark, in electricity: see arc.

welding

(Encyclopedia)welding, process for joining separate pieces of metal in a continuous metallic bond. Cold-pressure welding is accomplished by the application of high pressure at room temperature; forge welding (forgi...

circuit breaker

(Encyclopedia)circuit breaker, electric device that, like a fuse, interrupts an electric current in a circuit when the current becomes too high. The advantage of a circuit breaker is that it can be reset after it h...

Gerson, John

(Encyclopedia)Gerson, John (Jean Charlier de Gerson) gûrˈsən; zhäN shärlyāˈ də zhârsôNˈ [key], 1363–1429, French ecclesiastical statesman and writer. He studied (1377–94) under Pierre d'Ailly at the ...

Thompson, Guy Lawrence

(Encyclopedia)Thompson, Guy Lawrence, 1897–1970, English surgeon, writer, and naturalist, educated at Trinity College, Cambridge. Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons, he wrote Eric and Joan (1960), an account...

proper motion

(Encyclopedia)proper motion, in astronomy, apparent movement of a star on the celestial sphere, usually measured as seconds of arc per year; it is due both to the actual relative motions of the sun and the star thr...

Galvani, Luigi

(Encyclopedia)Galvani, Luigi lo͞oēˈjē gälväˈnē [key], 1737–98, Italian physician. He was professor of anatomy from 1775 at the Univ. of Bologna and was noted as a surgeon and for research in comparative a...

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