Yurt
Yurt, also spelled yurta, Mongol ger, tentlike Central Asian nomad’s dwelling, erected on wooden poles and covered with skin, felt, or handwoven textiles in bright colours. The interior is simply furnished with…
Heat transfer
Heat transfer, any or all of several kinds of phenomena, considered as mechanisms, that convey energy and entropy from one location to another. The specific mechanisms are usually referred to as convection, thermal radiation, and conduction…
Architecture
Architecture, the art and technique of designing and building, as distinguished from the skills associated with construction. The practice of architecture is employed to fulfill both practical and expressive requirements, and thus…
Machine
Machine, device, having a unique purpose, that augments or replaces human or animal effort for the accomplishment of physical tasks. This broad category encompasses such simple devices as the inclined plane, lever, wedge, wheel and axle, pulley,…
Humidity
Humidity, the amount of water vapour in the air. It is the most variable characteristic of the atmosphere and constitutes a major factor in climate and weather. Atmospheric water vapour is an important factor in weather for several…
Environment
Environment, the complex of physical, chemical, and biotic factors that act upon an organism or an ecological community and ultimately determine its form and survival. The Earth’s environment is treated in a number of articles.…
Concrete
Concrete, in construction, structural material consisting of a hard, chemically inert particulate substance, known as aggregate (usually sand and gravel), that is bonded together by cement and water. concrete Among the ancient Assyrians and Babylonians, the bonding substance…
Brick and tile
Brick and tile, structural clay products, manufactured as standard units, used in building construction. The brick, first produced in a sun-dried form at least 6,000 years ago and the forerunner of a…
Hide
Hide, the pelt taken from a cow, steer, or bull of the bovine species, from the pelt of a horse, or from the integument of some other large adult animal.…
Uses
Marbles are used principally for buildings and monuments, interior decoration, statuary, table tops, and novelties. Colour and appearance are their most important qualities. Resistance to abrasion, which is a function of cohesion between grains…
