Columbia Encyclopedia

(Encyclopedia) Apatosaurus ăpˌətəsôrˈəs, āˌpătˌə– [key], [Gr.,=deceptive lizard], quadruped saurischian dinosaur, estimated to be from 70 to 90 ft (21 to 27 m) in length and to weigh up to 30 tons (27 ...

(Encyclopedia) pituitary gland, small oval endocrine gland that lies at the base of the brain. It is sometimes called the master gland of the body because all the other endocrine glands depend on its secretions for ...

(Encyclopedia) Hoboken hōˈbōkən, –bəkən [key], city (2020 pop. 60,419), Hudson co., NE N.J.,...

(Encyclopedia) Jurassic period jərăsˈĭk [key] [from the Jura Mts.], second period of the Mesozoic era of geologic time, lasting from 213 to 144 million years ago. At the start of the Jurassic most of the contine...

(Encyclopedia) paleomagnetism, study of the intensity and orientation of the earth's magnetic field as preserved in the magnetic orientation of certain minerals found in rocks formed throughout geologic time. Paleom...

(Encyclopedia) Zagreb zäˈgrĕb [key], Ger. Agram, Hung. Zágráb, city (2011 pop. 790,017), capital and largest city of Croatia, on the Sava River. Zagreb is Croatia's largest industrial, manufacturing, and financ...

(Encyclopedia) frost or hoarfrost, ice formed by the condensation of atmospheric water vapor on a surface when the temperature of the surface is below 32℉ (0℃). In the formation of frost, a gas (water vapor) is ...

(Encyclopedia) gout, condition that manifests itself as recurrent attacks of acute arthritis, which may become chronic and deforming. It results from deposits of uric acid crystals in connective tissue or joints. Th...

(Encyclopedia) party, political, organization whose aim is to gain control of the government apparatus, usually through the election of its candidates to public office. Political parties take many forms, but their m...

(Encyclopedia) hydrolysis hīdrŏlˈĭsĭs [key], chemical reaction of a compound with water, usually resulting in the formation of one or more new compounds. The most common hydrolysis occurs when a salt of a weak ...