Columbia Encyclopedia

(Encyclopedia) potassium pətăsˈēəm [key], a metallic chemical element; symbol K [Lat. kalium=alkali]; at. no. 19; at. wt. 39.0983; m.p. 63.25℃; b.p. 760℃; sp. gr. .862 at 20℃; valence +1. Potassium is a s...

(Encyclopedia) boron bōrˈŏn [key] [New Gr. from borax], chemical element; symbol B; at. no. 5; interval in which at. wt. ranges 10.806–10.821; m.p. about 2,300℃; sublimation point about 2,550℃; sp. gr. 2.3 ...

(Encyclopedia) sodium, a metallic chemical element; symbol Na [Lat. natrium]; at. no. 11; at. wt. 22.98977; m.p. 97.81℃; b.p. 892.9℃; sp. gr. 0.971 at 20℃; valence +1. Sodium is a soft, silver-white metal. Ext...

(Encyclopedia) Galahad, Sir gălˈəhădˌ [key], hero of Arthurian legend. He was the son of Launcelot and Elaine, the daughter of King Pelles. Because he was the noblest and purest of the knights of Christendom, h...

(Encyclopedia) Gawain, Sir gäˈwān, –wĭn [key], one of the most popular heroes of Arthurian legend; nephew of King Arthur. He was regarded, particularly in the early romances, as the model of chivalry—pure, b...

(Encyclopedia) Brooke, Sir James, 1803–68, rajah of Sarawak on Borneo, b. India, of English parents. After active service in Burma (1825–26), he retired (1830) from the army of the East India Company. He sailed ...

(Encyclopedia) Launcelot, Sir lănˈsəlŏtˌ, lŏnˈ–, lônˈ– [key], in Arthurian legend, bravest and most celebrated knight at the court of King Arthur. He was kidnapped as an infant by the mysterious Lady of...

(Encyclopedia) Lane, Sir Ralph, c.1530–1603, leader of the first attempted English settlement in America, on Roanoke Island, N.C. Sent by Sir Walter Raleigh, the expedition of over 100 colonists left England in Ap...

(Encyclopedia) Wyatt, Sir Francis, 1588–1644, English colonial governor of Virginia. Married to a niece of Sir Edwin Sandys of the London Company, he went to Virginia as governor in 1621, taking with him the first...

(Encyclopedia) Hallé, Sir Charles hălˈē [key], 1819–95, German-English conductor and pianist, originally named Karl Halle. In 1857 he founded the Hallé Orchestra in Manchester, England He conducted many music...