Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

Washington, state, United States

(Encyclopedia) CE5 Washington, state in the Pacific Northwest of the United States. It is bordered by Idaho (E); Oregon, with the Columbia River marking much of the boundary (S); the Pacific Ocean (W); and the Ca...

croaker

(Encyclopedia)croaker, member of the abundant and varied family Sciaenidae, carnivorous, spiny-finned fishes including the weakfishes, the drums, and the kingcroakers (or kingfish). The croaker has a compressed, el...

sound

(Encyclopedia) CE5 Sound waves: An air pressure wave radiating outward from a loudspeaker is perceived as sound. sound, any disturbance that travels through an elastic medium such as air, ground, or water to be ...

stereophonic sound

(Encyclopedia)stereophonic sound, sound recorded simultaneously through two or more electronic channels. For live recordings, microphones are placed in different positions relative to the sound source. The recorded...

acoustics

(Encyclopedia)acoustics əko͞oˈstĭks [key] [Gr.,=the facts about hearing], the science of sound, including its production, propagation, and effects. Various branches of acoustics that deal with different aspects...

echo, in acoustics

(Encyclopedia)echo, reflection of a sound wave back to its source in sufficient strength and with a sufficient time lag to be separately distinguished. If a sound wave returns within 1⁄10 sec, the human ear is in...

Long Island Sound

(Encyclopedia)Long Island Sound, arm of the Atlantic Ocean, c.90 mi (145 km) long and 3–20 mi (5–32 km) wide, separating Long Island, N.Y., from the SE New York mainland and Connecticut. On the W the East River...

sonic boom

(Encyclopedia) CE5 Sonic boom wave pattern from a supersonic aircraft and variation in pressure sonic boom, shock wave produced by an object moving through the air at supersonic speed, i.e., faster than the spee...

Albemarle Sound

(Encyclopedia)Albemarle Sound, large inland body of generally fresh water, c.55 mi (90 km) long, from 3 to 14 mi (4.8–22 km) wide, NE N.C. Shallow and tideless, the sound is separated from the Atlantic Ocean by a...

Nootka Sound

(Encyclopedia)Nootka Sound, inlet of the Pacific Ocean and natural harbor on the west coast of Vancouver Island, SW British Columbia, Canada, lying between the mainland and Nootka Island (206 sq mi/534 sq km). The ...
 

Browse by Subject