Читать книгу The Circle of Knowledge: A Classified, Simplified, Visualized Book of Answers - Various - Страница 163

Acanthodus (a-kan-thō´dus).—Fossil fish, having thorn-like fins.

Aërodynamics (ā-ẽr-ō-di-nam´iks).—The science which treats of the air and other gaseous bodies under the action of force, and of their mechanical effects.

Aërognosy (ā-ẽr-ŏg´nô-sy̆).—The science which treats of the properties of the air, and of the part it plays in nature.

Aërolite (ā´ẽr-ô-līt).—A stone, or metallic mass, which has fallen to the earth from distant space; a meteorite; a meteoric stone.

Aërology (ā-ẽr-ŏl´ôjy̆).—That department of physics which treats of the atmosphere.

Aerometer (ā´ẽr-ŏm´ê-tẽr).—An instrument for ascertaining the weight or density of air and gases.

Ammonites (am´mo-nitz).—Fossil mollusks of spiral form, found in all strata from the palæozoic to the chalk; very numerous, varying greatly in size; all now extinct; sometimes called snakestones.

Anemology (ăn-ĕ-mŏl´ô-jy̆).—The science of the wind.

Anemometer (ăn-ĕ-mŏm´ẽ-tẽr).—An instrument for measuring the force and velocity of the wind; a wind gauge.

Attrition (ăt-trĭsh´ŭn).—The act of rubbing together; friction; the act of wearing by friction, or by rubbing substances together; abrasion.

Aurora (aw-rō´rȧ).—The rising light of the morning; the dawn of day; the redness of the sky just before the sun rises.

Aurora Borealis (bō´rẽ-ā´lĭs), i.e., northern daybreak; popularly called northern lights. A luminous meteoric phenomenon, visible only at night, and supposed to be of electrical origin. This species of light usually appears in streams, ascending toward the zenith from a dusky line or bank, a few degrees above the northern horizon. Occasionally the aurora appears as an arch of light across the heavens from east to west. Sometimes it assumes a wavy appearance. They assume a variety of colors, from a pale red or yellow to a deep red or blood color.

The Aurora Australis (aws-trā´lĭs) is a corresponding phenomenon in the southern hemisphere, the streams of light ascending in the same manner from near the southern horizon.

Barometer (bȧ-rŏm´ẽ-tẽr).—An instrument for determining the weight or pressure of the atmosphere, and hence for judging of the probable changes of weather, or for ascertaining the height of any ascent.

Calamites (kal´a-mīts or kal´a-mī´tēz).—Reed-like plants, found in coal.

Carboniferous (kär´bŏn-ĭf´ẽr-ŭs).—Producing or containing carbon or coal.

Conglomerate (kŏn-glŏm´ẽr-ât).—Pudding stone, composed of gravel and pebbles cemented together.

Corona (kô-rō´nȧ).—A circle, usually colored, seen in peculiar states of the atmosphere around and close to a luminous body as the sun or moon.

Cosmogony (kŏs-mŏg´o-ny̆).—The creation of the world or universe; a theory or account of such creation.

Cosmology (kŏz-mŏl´ô-jy̆).—The science of the world or universe; or a treatise relating to the structure and parts of the system of creation, the elements of bodies, the modifications of material things, the laws of motion, and the order and course of nature.

Crystallography (krĭs´tal-lŏg´rȧ-fy̆).—The science of crystallization, teaching the system of forms among crystals, their structure, and their methods of formation.

Cyclone (sī´klōn).—A violent storm, often of vast extent, characterized by high winds rotating about a calm center of low atmospheric pressure. This center moves onward, often with a velocity of twenty or thirty miles an hour.

Denudation (dĕn´û-dā´shŭn or dē´nū-).—The laying bare of rocks by the washing away of the overlying earth, etc.; or the excavation and removal of them by the action of running water.

Deposit.—A body of ore distinct from a ledge; pocket of gravel or pay dirt.

Diplacanthus (dip-lä-kăn´thus).—A fish, belonging to Acanthodii, known only by fossil remains in Old Red Sandstone.

Drifts.—Tunnels leading off from the main shaft, or from other tunnels or levels, through and along the vein.

Drift Matter.—Earth, pebbles and bowlders that have been drifted by water, and deposited over a country while submerged.

Druse (drṳs).—A cavity in a rock, having its interior surface studded with crystals and sometimes filled with water.

Elephas (el´e-fas).—The Latin name for Elephant. The primitive elephant was what is known as the Mammoth.

Fata Morgana (fä´tȧ môr-gä´nȧ).—A kind of mirage by which distant objects appear inverted, distorted, displaced, or multiplied. It is noticed particularly at the Straits of Messina, between Calabria and Sicily, Italy.

Fire-damp.—An explosive carburetted hydrogen of coal mines.

Fissures.—Seams or crevices in rocks formed by volcanic or earthquake action, and when filled subsequently by metal or metallic ores they become fissure veins.

Fog.—Watery vapor condensed in the lower part of the atmosphere and disturbing its transparency. It differs from cloud only in being near the ground, and from mist in not approaching so nearly to fine rain.

Geography (je-ŏg´rȧ-fy̆).—The science which treats of the world and its inhabitants; a description of the earth, or a portion of the earth, including its structure, features, products, political divisions, and the people by whom it is inhabited.

Astronomical, or Mathematical Geography treats of the earth as a planet, of its shape, its size, its lines of latitude and longitude, its zones and the phenomena due to the earth’s diurnal and annual motions.

Physical Geography or Physiography treats of the conformation of the earth’s surface, of the distribution of land and water, of minerals, plants, animals, etc., and applies the principles of physics to the explanation of the diversities of climate, productions, etc.

Political Geography treats of the different countries into which the earth is divided with regard to political and social institutions and conditions.

Geology (jē-ŏl´o-jy̆).—The science which treats: (a) Of the structure and mineral constitution of the globe; structural geology. (b) Of its history as regards rocks, minerals, rivers, valleys, mountains, climates, life, etc.; historical geology. (c) Of the causes and methods by which its structure, features, changes, and conditions have been produced; dynamical geology.

Goniatites (gō-ni-a-tī´tēz).—Fossil remains of Ammonites, many species of which are found in Devonian and Carboniferous Limestone.

Hail (hāl).—Frozen rain, or particles of ice precipitated from the clouds, where they are formed by the congelation of vapor. The separate particles are called hailstones.

Harmattan (här-măt´tan).—A dry, hot wind, prevailing on the Atlantic coast of Africa, in December, January, and February, blowing from the interior or Sahara. It is usually accompanied by a haze which obscures the sun.

Hoarfrost (hōr´frŏst).—The white particles formed by the congelation of dew; white frost.

Hydrography (hī-drŏg´rȧ-fy̆).—The art of measuring and describing the sea, lakes, rivers, and other waters, with their phenomena.

Hygrometer (hī-grŏm´ê-tẽr).—An instrument for measuring the degree of moisture of the atmosphere.

Ignis fatuus (ĭg´-nĭs făt´ûŭs).—A phosphorescent light that appears, in the night, over marshy grounds, supposed to be occasioned by the decomposition of animal or vegetable substances, or by some inflammable gas—popularly called also Will-with-the-wisp, or Will-o’-the-wisp, and Jack-with-a-lantern, or Jack-o’-lantern.

Ichthyosaurus (ĭk-thē-ō-saw´rus).—A large marine reptile, known only by fossil vertebræ and other bones, found in oolite rocks.

Labyrinthodon (lab-i-rin´thō-don), or Mastodon. A large animal, belonging to Amphibia, remains of which are found in Upper Trias rocks and strata.

Lepidodendron (lep-i-dō-den´dron).—Coal-plants, belonging to the Lycopods, of which very many remains are found in coal.

Lepidosteus (lep-i-dŏs´te-us).—Bony-pike fish, the fossil remains of which are found in rocks and earth strata.

Lightning (līt´nĭng).—A discharge of atmospheric electricity, accompanied by a vivid flash of light, commonly from one cloud to another, sometimes from a cloud to the earth. The sound produced by the electricity in passing rapidly through the atmosphere constitutes thunder.

Lithology (li-thŏl´ō-jy̆).—The science which treats of rocks, as regards their mineral constitution and classification, and their mode of occurrence in nature.

Lode (lōd).—A metallic vein; a longitudinal fissure or chasm filled with ore-bearing matter and having well-defined side walls; lode, lead, vein and ledge are synonymous; a mineral vein in the rock.

Mastodon (mas´tō-don).—An extinct elephant-like mammal of America, whose teeth have a nipple-like surface.

Metallurgy (mĕt´al-ler-jy̆).—The art of working metals, comprehending the whole process of separating them from other matters in the ore, smelting, refining and parting them; sometimes, in a narrower sense, only the process of extracting metals from their ores.

Meteorology (mĕ-tē-er-ŏl´o-jy̆).—The science which treats of the atmosphere and its phenomena, particularly of its variations of heat and moisture, of its winds, storms, etc.

Min´er-al´o-gy (mĭn-er-ăl´ō-jy).—The science which treats of minerals, and teaches how to describe, distinguish, and classify them.

Mist (mĭst).—Visible watery vapor suspended in the atmosphere, at or near the surface of the earth; fog.

Monsoon (mŏn-sōōn´).—A wind blowing part of the year from one direction, alternating with a wind from the opposite direction—a term applied particularly to periodical winds of the Indian Ocean, which blow from the southwest from the latter part of May to the middle of September, and from the northeast from about the middle of October to the middle of December.

Oceanography (ō´shan-ŏg´rȧ-fy̆).—A description of the ocean.

Oceanology (ō´shan-ŏl´ô-jy̆).—That branch of science which relates to the ocean.

Oreography (ō-rē-ŏg´rȧ-fy̆).—The science of mountains; orography.

Palæotherium (pā-lē-ō-thē´ri-um).—A tapir-like mammal, having canine teeth, known only by fossil remains found in Tertiary rocks.

Pampero (pȧm-pâ´rô).—A violent wind from the west or southwest, which sweeps over the pampas of South America and the adjacent seas, often doing great damage.

Parhelion (pär-hēl´yŭn or hē´lĭ-ŏn).—A mock sun appearing in the form of a bright light, sometimes near the sun, and tinged with colors like the rainbow, and sometimes opposite to the sun. The latter is usually called an anthelion. Often several mock suns appear at the same time.

Petrology (pē-trŏl´ô-jy̆).—The science which is concerned with the mineralogical and chemical composition of rocks, and with their classification; lithology.

Physiography (fiz-e-ŏg´rȧ-fy̆).—The science which treats of the earth’s exterior physical features, climate, life, etc., and of the physical movements or changes on the earth’s surface, as the currents of the atmosphere and ocean, the secular variations in heat, moisture, magnetism, etc.; physical geography.

Plesiosaurus (plē-zi-ō-saw´rus).—An oolithic reptile with crocodile-like head, known by fossil remains, chiefly vertebræ, found in lias and oolitic rocks, named from its fossil remains being found near those of the ichthyosaurus.

Pneumatics (nû-măt´ĭks).—That branch of science which treats of the mechanical properties of air and other elastic fluids, as of their weight, pressure, elasticity, etc.

Pterodactyl (ter-ō-dak´tīl).—Winged lizard: extinct reptile; fossil remains found in Kentish chalk.

Pyroscope (pĭr´ô-skōp).—An instrument for measuring the intensity of heat radiating from a fire, or the cooling influence of bodies. It is a differential thermometer, having one bulb coated with gold or silver leaf.

Rainbow.—A bow or arch exhibiting, in concentric bands, the several colors of the spectrum, and formed in the part of the hemisphere opposite to the sun by the refraction and reflection of the sun’s rays in drops of falling rain. Besides the ordinary bow, called also primary rainbow, which is formed by two refractions and one reflection, there is also another often seen exterior to it, called the secondary rainbow, concentric with the first, and separated from it by a small interval. It is formed by two refractions and two reflections, is much fainter than the primary bow, and has its colors arranged in the reverse order from those of the latter.

Seismology (sīs-mŏl´ô-jy̆).—The science of earthquakes.

Seismometer (sīs-mŏm´e-tẽr).—An instrument for measuring the direction, duration, and force of earthquakes and like concussions.

Simoon (sĭ-mōōn´).—A hot, dry, suffocating, dust-laden wind, that blows occasionally in Arabia, Syria, and the neighboring countries, generated by the extreme heat of the parched deserts or sandy plains.

Sirocco (sĭ-rŏk´kô).—An oppressive, relaxing wind from the Libyan deserts, chiefly experienced in Italy, Malta, and Sicily.

Sivatherium (siv-a-thē´ri-um).—A large four-horned antelope, known by fossil remains found in Pliocene rocks of Hindustan.

Strophomena (strō-fŏm´ĕ-nä).—A genus of shell-like animals similar to the nautilus, found in numerous fossil forms in Lower Silurian and the carboniferous strata.

Tornado (tor-nā´dô).—A violent whirling wind; specifically a tempest distinguished by a rapid whirling and slow progressive motion, usually accompanied with severe thunder, lightning, and torrents of rain, and commonly of short duration and small breadth; a small cyclone.

Typhoon (tï-fōōn´).—A violent whirlwind; specifically, a violent whirlwind occurring in the Chinese seas.

Wind.—Air naturally in motion with any degree of velocity; a current of air.

Zosterites (zos-ter-ī´tez).—Sear-wracks: marine plants, resembling sea-weeds, with small naked flowers, found at the bottom of the sea.