Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

refraction

(Encyclopedia)refraction, in physics, deflection of a wave on passing obliquely from one transparent medium into a second medium in which its speed is different, as the passage of a light ray from air into glass. O...

Diepenbeeck, Abraham van

(Encyclopedia)Diepenbeeck, Abraham van vän dēˈpənbākˌ [key], 1596–1675, Flemish glass painter, book illustrator, and painter. He was active mainly in Antwerp and was strongly influenced by Rubens, who was h...

Denain

(Encyclopedia)Denain dənăNˈ [key], city, Nord dept., N France. It has ironworks, steel mills, and glass ...

Coventry, town, United States

(Encyclopedia)Coventry, town (2020 pop. 35,688), Kent co., W R.I.; settled 1643, set off from Warwick and inc. 1741. Formerly a noted lace center, it still has textil...

Panihati

(Encyclopedia)Panihati pänēhäˈtē [key], city (1991 pop. 275,359), West Bengal state, NE India, on the Hugli River. It is a suburb of Kolkata (Calcutta) and a rice-trading center. Manufactures include chemicals...

Borinage

(Encyclopedia)Borinage bôrēnäzhˈ [key], region, Hainaut prov., S Belgium, surrounding Mons and extending to the French border. Traditionally a coal-mining district, most of the mines have been closed. Glass-mak...

Wilson

(Encyclopedia)Wilson, city (1990 pop. 36,930), seat of Wilson co., E N.C., in a rich agricultural region; inc. 1849. It is a commercial and industrial center with a large tobacco market. There is tobacco and food p...

Saint Helens

(Encyclopedia)Saint Helens, metropolitan borough (1991 pop. 114,397), NW England, in the Greater Liverpool metropolitan area. It is a major center of glass manufacture in England. The city also has iron and brass f...

Garden Grove

(Encyclopedia)Garden Grove, city (2020 pop. 171,949), Orange co., S Calif., a suburb of Long Beach and Los Angeles, on the Santa Ana River; founded 1877, inc. 1956. M...

Jonesboro

(Encyclopedia)Jonesboro, city (1990 pop. 46,535), a seat of Craighead co., NE Ark., on Crowley's Ridge; founded 1859, inc. 1883. The city services a rich agricultural area with many processing plants. Its diverse m...

Browse by Subject