Science terms starting with E

619 terms

  1. Effluent limitation The maximum amount of a specific substance or characteristic that can be present in effluent discharge without violating water quality standards in…
  2. Effluent Seepage Diffuse discharge of ground water to the ground surface.
  3. Effluent Stream Any watercourse in which all, or a portion of the water volume came from the Phreatic zone, or zone of saturation by way of groundwater flow, or baseflow.
  4. egg 1. The fertilized zygote in egg-laying animals. 2. The mature female reproductive cell in animals and plants.
  5. Egg cylinder An asymmetric embryonic structure that helps to determine the body plan of the mouse.
  6. EGL - energy grade line.
  7. EGS See: external guide sequence.
  8. EIA Electronic Industries Association EIM
  9. EIS - Environmental Impact Statement.
  10. El Niño A warming of the ocean current along the coasts of Peru and Ecuador that is generally associated with dramatic changes in the weather patterns of the…
  11. El Ni� A climatic phenomenon occurring irregularly, but generally every 3 to 5 years. El Ni�s often first become evident during the Christmas season…
  12. El Ni� - Southern Oscillation (ENSO) El Ni�, in its original sense, is a warm water current that periodically flows along the coast of Ecuador and Peru, disrupting the local…
  13. Elasticity of Demand The ratio of the percentage change in the quantity of a good or service demanded to the percentage change in the price.
  14. elastin A fibrous protein that is the major constituent of the yellow elastic fibres of animal connective tissue.
  15. Elbow A pipe fitting having two openings which causes a run of pipe to change direction 90 degrees.
  16. Electric and magnetic field (EMF) Electric and magnetic fields are generated when charged particles (e.g., electrons) are accelerated. Charged particles in motion produce magnetic fields.
  17. Electric Circuit The path followed by electrons from a generation source, through an electrical system, and returning to the source.
  18. Electric Energy The amount of work accomplished by electrical power, usually measured in kilowatt-hours (kWh). One kWh is 1,000 Watts and is equal to 3,413 Btu.
  19. Electric Furnace An air heater in which air is blown over electric resistance heating coils.
  20. Electric Grid An interconnected system that maintains an instantaneous balance between supply and demand (generation and load) while moving electricity from generation…
  21. Electric plant (physical) A facility containing prime movers, electric generators, and auxiliary equipment for converting mechanical, chemical, and/or fission energy into electric…
  22. Electric power industry The public, private, and cooperative electric utility systems of the United States taken as a whole.
  23. Electric Power Plant A facility or piece of equipment that produces electricity.
  24. Electric Power Sector Those privately or publicly owned establishments that generate, transmit, distribute, or sell electricity.
  25. Electric power system Physically connected electric generating, transmission, and distribution facilities operated as a unit under one control.
  26. Electric Power Transmission The transmission of electricity through power lines.
  27. Electric Rate The unit price and quantity to which it applies as specified in a rate schedule or contract.
  28. Electric Rate Schedule A statement of the electric rate(s), terms, and conditions for electricity sale or supply.
  29. Electric Resistance Heating A type of heating system where heat, resulting when electric current flows through an "element" or conductor, such as Nichrome, which has a high…
  30. Electric System The physically connected generation, transmission, and distribution facilities and components operated as a unit.
  31. Electric System Loss(es) The total amount of electric energy loss in an electric system between the generation source and points of delivery.
  32. Electric utilities All enterprises engaged in the production and/or distribution of electricity for use by the public, including investor-owned electric utility companies…
  33. Electric Utility A corporation, person, agency, authority or other legal entity that owns and/or operates facilities for the generation, transmission, distribution or sale…
  34. Electric Vehicles A battery-powered electrically driven vehicle.
  35. Electrical Charge A condition that results from an imbalance between the number of protons and the number of electrons in a substance.
  36. Electrical conductivity A measure of the salt content of water.
  37. Electrical demand Energy requirement placed upon a utility's generation at a given instant or averaged over any designated period of time; expressed in kilowatts.
  38. Electrical Energy The energy of moving electrons.
  39. Electrical horsepower See horsepower.
  40. Electrical Load The amount of electrical demand on a particular circuit or of a particular use or facility.
  41. Electrical System All the conductors and electricity using devices that are connected to a source of electromotive force (or generator).
  42. Electrical System Energy Losses A measure of the amount of energy lost during the generation, transmission, and distribution of electricity.
  43. Electricity Electric current used as a power source. Electricity can be produced from a variety of feedstocks, including oil, coal, nuclear, hydro, natural gas, wind…
  44. Electricity Generation The process of producing electricity by transforming other forms or sources of energy into electrical energy; measured in kilowatt-hours.
  45. Electricity Grid A common term referring to an electricity transmission and distribution system.
  46. Electricity Industry Restructuring The process of changing the structure of the electric power industry from one of guaranteed monopoly over service territories, as established by the…
  47. electro-blotting The electrophoretic transfer of DNA, RNA or protein from a gel, in which they have been separated, to a support matrix, such as nitrocellulose.
  48. Electrochemical Cell A device containing two conducting electrodes, one positive and the other negative, made of dissimilar materials (usually metals) that are immersed in a…
  49. electrochemical sensor Biosensors, such as an enzyme electrode, in which a biological process is harnessed to an electrical sensor system.
  50. Electrode (ee-LEK-trode) In medicine, a device such as a small metal plate or needle that carries electricity from an instrument to a patient for treatment or…
  51. Electrodeposition Electrolytic process in which a metal is deposited at the cathode from a solution of its ions.
  52. Electrolysis A chemical change in a substance that results from the passage of an electric current through an electrolyte.
  53. Electrolyte (ee-LEK-troh-lite) A substance that breaks up into ions (electrically charged particles) when it is dissolved in body fluids or water.
  54. Electrolytes (battery) A nonmetallic (liquid or solid) conductor that carries current by the movement of ions (instead of electrons) with the liberation of matter at the…
  55. Electromagnetic Energy Energy generated from an electromagnetic field produced by an electric current flowing through a superconducting wire kept at a specific low temperature.
  56. Electromagnetic Field (EMF) The electrical and magnetic fields created by the presence or flow of electricity in an electrical conductor or electricity consuming appliance or motor.
  57. Electromagnetic Force The fundamental force which binds electrons to atoms, and governs the physics of light. Any charge feels an electric force from another charge.
  58. Electromagnetic Radiation (ee-LEK-troh-mag-NEH-tik ray-dee-AY-shun) Low-energy radiation that comes from the interaction of electric and magnetic fields.
  59. Electromagnetic Spectrum The entire range of wavelengths of electromagnetic energy, including (from short to long wavelengths) gamma rays, X rays, ultraviolet light, visible…
  60. Electromotive Force The amount of energy derived from an electrical source per unit quantity of electricity passing through the source.
  61. Electromotive force (EMF) The electrical pressure available to cause a flow of current when an electrical circuit is closed. See voltage.
  62. Electron A sub-atomic particle that has a negative electric charge.
  63. Electron capture A radioactive decay process in which an orbital electron is captured by and merges with the nucleus.
  64. electron microscope (ee-LEK-tron MY-kroh-SKOPE) A microscope (device used to magnify small objects) that uses electrons (instead of light) to produce an enlarged image.
  65. Electron Volt The amount of kinetic energy gained by an electron when accelerated through an electric potential difference of 1 Volt; equivalent to 1.
  66. Electronic Ballast A device that uses electronic components to regulate the voltage of fluorescent lamps.
  67. Electronic trading platform An electronic system matching bids (to buy) and offers (to sell), increasingly employed in many venues (Nymex, ICE, voice brokers, index-forming…
  68. electronic voice phenomena (EVP) The abbreviation for “electronic voice phenomena,” which refers to noises of a paranormal nature that cannot be heard with the human ear, but are…
  69. Electrons Tiny particle moving around outside the nucleus of an atom. Each electron has one unit of negative charge (-) and almost no mass.
  70. Electrophoresis a technique for the separation of charged molecules by migration on a support medium under the influence of an electrical charge.
  71. Electroporation A method for transforrning DNA, especially useful for plant cells, in which high voltage pulses of electricity are used to open pores in cell membranes…
  72. Electrostatic Precipitator A device used to remove particulate matter from the waste gasses of a combustion power plant.
  73. element (EH-leh-ment) A basic part of a whole. In chemistry, refers to a simple substance that cannot be broken down into smaller parts or changed into another…
  74. Elemental Supernatural nature spirits that include fairies, trolls and banshees.
  75. elemental analysis The determination of carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, sulfur, chlorine, and ash in a sample. See ultimate analysis.
  76. Elementary Particle Physics The study of fundamental particles (such as quarks and leptons) and their interactions (forces).
  77. ELEV Elevation
  78. Elevated Convection Convection occurring within an elevated layer, i.e., a layer in which the lowest portion is based above the earth's surface.
  79. Elevation A drawing of a face of a building with all the features shown, as if in a single vertical plane
  80. Eligible properties See Historic properties
  81. ELISA Abbreviation for enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. An immunoassay, i.e. an antibody -based technique for the diagnosis of the presence and quantity of…
  82. elite tree A phenotypically superior tree in a tree breeding programme.
  83. Ellipsoidal Reflector Lamp A lamp where the light beam is focused 2 inches ahead of the lamp reducing the amount of light trapped in the fixture.
  84. Ellis - van Creveld syndrome A rare autosomal recessive disorder that leads to dwarfism, extra fingers, and malformations of the heart, among other abnormalities. See also malformation
  85. Elongate An increase of the vertical diameter of a flexible pipe.
  86. elongation factors Soluble proteins required for the elongation of polypeptide chains on ribosomes.
  87. ELSW Elsewhere
  88. Eluant Washing solution (The solution that is introduced into the cow).
  89. Eluate The washings obtained by elution (the solution that comes out of the cow).
  90. Elute To separate by washing (to milk).
  91. ELY Easterly
  92. Embankment An earth structure the top of which is higher than the adjoining surface. A shaped earth or rockfill dam.
  93. Embankment Dam (Fill Dam) Any dam constructed of excavated natural materials or industrial waste materials.
  94. Embankment dam or fill dam Any dam constructed of excavated natural materials. See diaphragm-type earthfill, earth dam or earthfill dam, homogeneous earthfill dam, hydraulic fill…
  95. EMBDD Embedded
  96. Embryo Early stage in the development of a plant or an animal. In vertebrate animals (have a backbone or spinal column), this stage lasts from shortly after…
  97. embryo cloning The creation of identical copies of an embryo by embryo splitting or by nuclear transfer from undifferentiated embryonic cells.
  98. embryo culture The culture of embryos on nutrient media.
  99. embryo multiplication and transfer (Abbreviation: EMT). The cloning of animal embryos and their subsequent transfer to recipients via artificial inembryonation.
  100. embryo rescue A sequence of tissue culture techniques utilized to enable a fertilized immature embryo resulting from an interspecific cross to continue growth and…