Science — page 111 of 132

Science terms

11001. Soil Conservation Service Cite The former name of a branch of the United States Department of Agriculture, renamed the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS).
11002. Soil Conservation Service (SCS) (SCS) Cite The Soil Conservation Service, now known as the NRCS (National Resources Conservation Services).
11003. Soil deposition Cite A general term for the accumulation of sediments by either physical or chemical sedimentation.
11004. Soil horizon Cite A layer of soil developed in response to localized chemical and physical processes resulting from the activities of soil organisms, the addition of…
11005. Soil horizon mixing Cite Soil horizon mixing occurs when soil is disturbed by activities such as excavation.
11006. Soil Moisture Cite Water stored in soils.
11007. Soil subsidence Cite The lowering of the normal level of the ground, usually due to overpumping of water from wells.
11008. soil temperature Cite The temperature measured near the surface of the soil.
11009. Soil-cement bedding Cite A mixture of soil, portland cement, and water placed for pipe bedding.
11010. soil-less culture Cite Growing plants in nutrient solution without soil. Synonym: hydroponics.
11011. Solar Access or Rights Cite The legal issues related to protecting or ensuring access to sunlight to operate a solar energy system, or use solar energy for heating and cooling.
11012. Solar Air Heater Cite A type of solar thermal system where air is heated in a collector and either transferred directly to the interior space or to a storage medium, such as a…
11013. Solar Altitude Angle Cite The angle between a line from a point on the earth's surface to the center of the solar disc, and a line extending horizontally from the point.
11014. Solar Array Cite A group of solar collectors or solar modules connected together.
11015. Solar Azimuth Cite The angle between the sun's apparent position in the sky and true south, as measured on a horizontal plane.
11016. Solar Cell Cite A solar photovoltaic device with a specified area.
11017. Solar Collector Cite A device used to collect, absorb, and transfer solar energy to a working fluid.
11018. Solar collector array Cite That portion of the solar energy facility containing components that track and capture sunlight and convert it to other useful forms of energy, typically…
11019. Solar Constant Cite The average amount of solar radiation that reaches the earth's upper atmosphere on a surface perpendicular to the sun's rays; equal to 1353 Watts per…
11020. Solar Cooling Cite The use of solar thermal energy or solar electricity to power a cooling appliance.
11021. Solar Coordinates Cite In solar-terrestrial terms, Central Meridian Distance (CMD). The angular distance in solar longitude measured from the central meridian
11022. Solar Cycle Cite An approximately 11-year pattern in the number of sunspots, coronal mass ejections (CMEs), solar flares, and other solar activity.
11023. Solar Declination Cite The apparent angle of the sun north or south of the earth's equatorial plane. The earth's rotation on its axis causes a daily change in the declination.
11024. Solar Distillation Cite The process of distilling (purifying) water using solar energy. Water can be placed in an air tight solar collector with a sloped glazing material, and as…
11025. Solar Eclipse Cite The passing of the Moon between the Sun and Earth. In a total solar eclipse, the Moon blocks all light from the solar disk, allowing us to see the solar…
11026. Solar energy Cite Electromagnetic energy transmitted from the sun (solar radiation). The amount that reaches the earth is equal to one billionth of total solar energy…
11027. Solar Energy Collector Cite See solar collector.
11028. Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) (SEIA) Cite A national trade association of solar energy equipment manufacturers, retailers, suppliers, installers, and consultants.
11029. Solar Energy Research Institute (SERI) (SERI) Cite A federally funded institute, created by the Solar Energy Research, Development and Demonstration Act of 1974, that conducted research and development of…
11030. Solar energy technology Cite Any engineered method for harnessing, storing, and using the Sun's energy.
11031. Solar Energy Zone (SEZ) (SEZ) Cite Lands identified by the BLM as best-suited for large-scale production of solar energy.
11032. Solar Film Cite A window glazing coating, usually tinted bronze or gray, used to reduce building cooling loads, glare, and fabric fading.
11033. Solar Flare Cite An explosive release of electromagnetic radiation and huge quantities of charged particles from a small area of the solar surface.
11034. Solar Fraction Cite The percentage of a building's seasonal energy requirements that can be met by a solar energy device(s) or system(s).
11035. Solar Furnace Cite A device that achieves very high temperatures by the use of reflectors to focus and concentrate sunlight onto a small receiver.
11036. Solar Gain Cite The amount of energy that a building absorbs due to solar energy striking its exterior and conducting to the interior or passing through windows and being…
11037. Solar Irradiation Cite The amount of solar radiation, both direct and diffuse, received at any location.
11038. Solar Mass Cite A term used for materials used to absorb and store solar energy.
11039. Solar Maximum Cite The month(s) during the 11-year solar cycle when the number of Sunspots reaches a maximum.
11040. Solar Minimum Cite The month(s) during the 11-year solar cycle when the number of Sunspots is lowest.
11041. Solar module Cite See Photovoltaic (PV) module
11042. Solar Module (Panel) Cite A solar photovoltaic device that produces a specified power output under defined test conditions, usually composed of groups of solar cells connected in…
11043. Solar Noon Cite The time of the day, at a specific location, when the sun reaches its highest, apparent point in the sky; equal to true or due, geographic south.
11044. Solar One Cite A solar thermal electric central receiver power plant ("power tower") located in Barstow, California, and completed in 1981.
11045. Solar Panel Cite See Photovoltaic Module.
11046. Solar Pond Cite A body of water that contains brackish (highly saline) water that forms layers of differing salinity (stratifies) that absorb and trap solar energy.
11047. Solar Power (or Energy) Cite Use of sunlight, or solar energy, to heat and light buildings, generate electricity (using solar photovoltaic systems - PV cells/panels), heat hot water…
11048. Solar Power Satellite Cite A solar power station investigated by NASA that entailed a satellite in geosynchronous orbit that would consist of a very large array of solar…
11049. Solar power tower Cite See Power tower
11050. Solar Radiation Cite A general term for the visible and near visible (ultraviolet and near-infrared) electromagnetic radiation that is emitted by the sun.
11051. Solar Sector Boundary (SSB) Cite In solar-terrestrial terms, the apparent solar origin, or base, of the interplanetary sector boundary marked by the larger-scale polarity inversion lines.
11052. Solar Simulator Cite An apparatus that replicates the solar spectrum, and used for testing solar energy conversion devices.
11053. Solar Space Heater Cite A solar energy system designed to provide heat to individual rooms in a building.
11054. Solar Spectral Irradiance (SSI) (SSI) Cite The amount of radiant energy of a particular wavelength that falls on a surface in a given amount of time.
11055. Solar Spectrum Cite The total distribution of electromagnetic radiation emanating from the sun. The different regions of the solar spectrum are described by their wavelength…
11056. Solar System Cite The Sun and the family of objects that orbit it. The Solar System includes things like planets, moons, comets and asteroids, and a mysterious form of…
11057. Solar Thermal Electric Systems Cite Solar energy conversion technologies that convert solar energy to electricity, by heating a working fluid to power a turbine that drives a generator.
11058. Solar Thermal Parabolic Dishes Cite A solar thermal technology that uses a modular mirror system that approximates a parabola and incorporates two-axis tracking to focus the sunlight onto…
11059. Solar Thermal Systems Cite Solar energy systems that collect or absorb solar energy for useful purposes. Can be used to generate high temperature heat (for electricity production…
11060. Solar Time Cite The period marked by successive crossing of the earth's meridian by the sun; the hour angle of the sun at a point of observance (apparent time) is…
11061. Solar tracking Cite The solar panels can be swiveled using the electric motors to follow the path of the sun exactly in the course of the day to maximize the yields.
11062. Solar Transmittance Cite The amount of solar energy that passes through a glazing material, expressed as a percentage.
11063. Solar Trough Systems (see also Parabolic Trough, above) Cite A type of solar thermal system where sunlight is concentrated by a curved reflector onto a pipe containing a working fluid that can be used for process…
11064. Solar Two Cite Solar Two is a retrofit of the Solar One project (see above). It is demonstrating the technical feasibility and power potential of a solar power tower…
11065. Solar Ultraviolet Irradiance Cite The amount of energy released from the Sun in the ultraviolet portion of the spectrum at wavelengths shorter than 400 nm.
11066. solar variability Cite changes in the amount of radiation emitted by the sun due to the sun's internal dynamics.
11067. Solar Wind Cite A stream of plasma coming out of the Sun in all directions at very high speeds—an average of about 400 km/sec, or a million mph.
11068. Solarium Cite A glazed structure, such as greenhouse or "sunspace."
11069. Sole source aquifer Cite An aquifer that supplies 50 percent or more of the drinking water of an area.
11070. Solenoid Cite An electromechanical device composed of a coil of wire wound around a cylinder containing a bar or plunger, that when a current is applied to the coil…
11071. Solenoid Valve Cite An automatic valve that is opened or closed by an electromagnet.
11072. Solid Fuels Cite Any fuel that is in solid form, such as wood, peat, lignite, coal, and manufactured fuels such as pulverized coal, coke, charcoal, briquettes, pellets…
11073. Solid head buttress dam Cite A buttress dam in which the upstream end of each buttress is enlarged to span the gap between buttresses.
11074. solid medium Cite Nutrient medium solidified by the addition of a gelling agent, commonly agar.
11075. Solid waste Cite All unwanted, abandoned, or discarded solid or semisolid material whether or not subject to decomposition, originating from any source.
11076. Solidity Cite In reference to a wind energy conversion device, the ratio of rotor blade surface area to the frontal, swept area that the rotor passes through.
11077. SOLN Cite Solution
11078. SOLNS Cite solutions
11079. Solstice Cite The two times of the year when the sun is apparently farthest north and south of the earth's equator; usually occurring on or around June 21 (summer…
11080. Solvent extraction Cite A method of separation used to purify vegetable oils.
11081. somaclonal variation Cite Epigenetic or genetic changes induced during the callus phase of plant cells cultured in vitro.
11082. somatic Cite (soh-MA-tik) Having to do with the body.
11083. Somatic cell Cite (soh-MA-tik ...) Any of the body cells except the reproductive (germ) cells.
11084. somatic cell embryogenesis Cite The process of differentiation of somatic embryos either from explant cells (direct embryogenesis), or from callus generated from explants (indirect…
11085. Somatic cell gene therapy Cite The repair or replacement of a defective gene within somatic tissue. (See Somatic cell.)
11086. Somatic cell genetic mutation Cite A change in the genetic structure that is neither inherited nor passed to offspring. Also called acquired mutations. See also: germ line genetic mutation
11087. somatic cell hybrid panel Cite A panel of cells created by cell fusion, typically involving a reference species (e.g. hamster) and the species of interest (e.g.
11088. Somatic cell nuclear transfer Cite A technique in which the nucleus of a somatic cell (any cell of the body except sperm cells and egg cells) is injected, or transfered, into an egg, that…
11089. Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer (SCNT) Cite A method of cloning: transfer of the nucleus from a donor somatic cell into an enucleated egg to produce a cloned embryo.
11090. somatic cell variant Cite A somatic cell with unique characters not present in the other cells, and which could be selected for by an appropriate screen.
11091. Somatic cells Cite Cells of body tissues other than the germline.
11092. somatic embryo Cite An organized embryo -like structure. Although morphologically similar to a zygotic embryo it is initiated from somatic plant cells.
11093. somatic hybridization Cite Naturally occurring or induced fusion of somatic protoplasts or cells of two genetically different parents. The difference may be as wide as interspecific.
11094. somatic hypermutation Cite The high frequency of mutation that occurs in the gene segments encoding the variable regions of immunoglobulins during the differentiation of B…
11095. somatic reduction Cite Halving of the chromosomal number of somatic cells; a possible method of producing "haploids" from somatic cells and calli by artificial means.
11096. Somatic stem cells Cite Non-embryonic stem cells that are not derived from gametes (egg or sperm cells).
11097. somatocrinin Cite Growth hormone-releasing hormone. See: growth hormone.
11098. Somatostatin Cite Growth hormone-inhibiting hormone. See: growth hormone.
11099. Somatotrophin Cite See Human growth hormone.
11100. somatotropin Cite (SOH-muh-toh-TROH-pin) A protein made by the pituitary gland that helps control body growth and the use of glucose and fat in the body.