Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

6 results found

antifreeze

(Encyclopedia)antifreeze, substance added to a solvent to lower its freezing point. The solution formed is called an antifreeze mixture. Antifreeze is typically added to water in the cooling system of an internal-c...

Raoult's law

(Encyclopedia)Raoult's law räo͞olzˈ [key] [for F. M. Raoult, a French physicist and chemist] states that the addition of solute to a liquid lessens the tendency for the liquid to become a solid or a gas, i.e., r...

methanol

(Encyclopedia)methanol, methyl alcohol, or wood alcohol, CH3OH, a colorless, flammable liquid that is miscible with water in all proportions. Methanol is a monohydric alcohol. It melts at −97.8℃ and boils at 6...

borax

(Encyclopedia)borax or sodium tetraborate decahydrate sōˈdēəm tĕˌtrəbôrˈāt dĕkˌəhīˈdrāt [key], chemical compound, Na2B4O7·10H2O; sp. gr. 1.73; slightly soluble in cold water; very soluble in hot wa...

glycerol

(Encyclopedia)glycerol, glycerin, glycerine, or 1,2,3-propanetriol prōˈpāntrīˌŏl [key], CH2OHCHOHCH2OH, colorless, odorless, sweet-tasting, syrupy liquid. Glycerol is a trihydric alcohol. It melts at 17.8�...

glycol

(Encyclopedia)glycol glīˈkōl [key], dihydric alcohol in which the two hydroxyl groups are bonded to different carbon atoms; the general formula for a glycol is (CH2)n(OH)2. The most important glycol is the simpl...