(Encyclopedia) cofferdam, temporary barrier for excluding water from an area that is normally submerged. Made commonly of wood, steel, or concrete sheet piling (see pile), cofferdams are used in…
(Encyclopedia) drainage, in agriculture, the removal of excess water from the soil, either by a system of surface ditches, or by underground conduits if required by soil conditions and land contour.…
(Encyclopedia) Harvey, George Brinton McClellan, 1864–1928, American journalist and diplomat, b. Peacham, Caledonia co., Vt. After a career in journalism and insurance, he became involved in the…
Born: 1833Birthplace: Stockholm Improved explosive compound: dynamite—Accidents in the manufacturing and handling of nitroglycerin made Nobel aware of its danger in the fluid state. After much…
What is this job like? Artists make art to express what they are feeling or thinking. They use many methods—drawing, painting, sculpting. They use an assortment of materials—different kinds of…
(Encyclopedia) stove, device used for heating or for cooking food. The stove was long regarded as a cooking device supplementary to the fireplace, near which it stood; its stovepipe led into the…
(Encyclopedia) delta [from triangular shape of the Nile delta, like the Greek letter delta], a deposit of clay, silt, and sand formed at the mouth of a river where the stream loses velocity and drops…
(Encyclopedia) grease, mixture of lubricant and thickener. It is used to reduce friction between surfaces from which oils would leak away or cause damage by dripping, or where lubrication must be…
