Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

ductility

(Encyclopedia)ductility, ability of a metal to plastically deform without breaking or fracturing, with the cohesion between the molecules remaining sufficient to hold them together (see adhesion and cohesion). Duct...

embossing

(Encyclopedia)embossing, process of producing upon various materials designs or patterns in relief by mechanical means. The material is pressed between a pair of dies especially adapted to its hardness and the dept...

Rancho Cucamonga

(Encyclopedia)Rancho Cucamonga rănˈchō ko͞oˌkəmängˈgə [key], city (1990 pop. 101,409), San Bernardino co., S Calif. Situated in a vast suburban corridor, it is part of San Bernardino's metropolitan area. A...

Rybnik

(Encyclopedia)Rybnik rĭbˈnēk [key], town (1993 est. pop. 145,400), Śląskie prov., S Poland. It is a railway junction and industrial center with industries manufacturing mining machinery, metal products, and ch...

Ponca City

(Encyclopedia)Ponca City, city (1990 pop. 26,359), Kay co., N Okla., on the Arkansas River; founded 1893 with the opening of the Cherokee Strip, inc. 1899. It is a trade, processing, and shipping hub in a grain, li...

bimetallism

(Encyclopedia)bimetallism bīmĕtˈəlĭzˌəm [key], in economic history, monetary system in which two commodities, usually gold and silver, were used as a standard and coined without limit at a ratio fixed by leg...

enamelware

(Encyclopedia)enamelware, utensils having a metal foundation and a coating of special glass, called porcelain enamel, applied by fusion. The porcelain enamel, or vitreous enamel, is applied to make the utensils cor...

Union City

(Encyclopedia)Union City. 1 Residential city (1990 pop. 53,762), Alameda co., W Calif., in an agricultural region; inc. 1959 with the merger of Decoto and Alvarado districts. Metal, plastic, paper, and food product...

beryllium

(Encyclopedia)beryllium bərĭlˈēəm [key] [from beryl ], metallic chemical element; symbol Be; at. no. 4; at. wt. 9.01218; m.p. about 1,278℃; b.p. 2,970℃ (estimated); sp. gr. 1.85 at 20℃; valence +2. Ber...

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...