deliquescence
(redirected from deliquescent)Also found in: Dictionary, Thesaurus, Medical, Wikipedia.
Related to deliquescent: efflorescent
deliquescence
(dĕl'əkwĕs`əns), conversion of a solid substance into a liquid as a result of absorption of water vapor from the air. Since impurities in a solid lower its melting point, the absorbed water causes a decrease in the normal melting point of the solid. If enough water is absorbed to lower the melting point below room temperature, the solid will deliquesce, or turn to liquid. Lithium sulfide and magnesium iodide are examples of deliquescent salts.The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia™ Copyright © 2013, Columbia University Press. Licensed from Columbia University Press. All rights reserved. www.cc.columbia.edu/cu/cup/
deliquescence
[del·ə′kwes·əns] (botany)
The condition of repeated divisions ending in fine divisions; seen especially in venation and stem branching.
(physical chemistry)
The absorption of atmospheric water vapor by a crystalline solid until the crystal eventually dissolves into a saturated solution.
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific & Technical Terms, 6E, Copyright © 2003 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
deliquescence
The absorption of water from the air by certain salts in plaster or brick; results in dark, damp areas on the surface.
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Architecture and Construction. Copyright © 2003 by McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.