surface

surface
—surfaceless, adj. —surfacer, n.
/serr"fis/, n., adj., v., surfaced, surfacing.
n.
1. the outer face, outside, or exterior boundary of a thing; outermost or uppermost layer or area.
2. any face of a body or thing: the six surfaces of a cube.
3. extent or area of outer face; superficial area.
4. the outward appearance, esp. as distinguished from the inner nature: to look below the surface of a matter.
5. Geom. any figure having only two dimensions; part or all of the boundary of a solid.
6. land or sea transportation, rather than air, underground, or undersea transportation.
7. Aeron. an airfoil.
adj.
8. of, on, or pertaining to the surface; external.
9. apparent rather than real; superficial: to be guilty of surface judgments.
10. of, pertaining to, or via land or sea: surface mail.
11. Ling. belonging to a late stage in the transformational derivation of a sentence; belonging to the surface structure.
v.t.
12. to finish the surface of; give a particular kind of surface to; make even or smooth.
13. to bring to the surface; cause to appear openly: Depth charges surfaced the sub. So far we've surfaced no applicants.
v.i.
14. to rise to the surface: The submarine surfaced after four days.
15. to work on or at the surface.
[1605-15; < F, equiv. to sur- SUR-1 + face FACE, appar. modeled on L superficies SUPERFICIES]

* * *

I
In geometry, a two-dimensional collection of points (flat surface), a three-dimensional collection of points whose cross section is a curve (curved surface), or the boundary of any three-dimensional solid.

In general, a surface is a continuous boundary dividing a three-dimensional space into two regions. For example, the surface of a sphere separates the interior from the exterior; a horizontal plane separates the half-plane above it from the half-plane below. Surfaces are often called by the names of the regions they enclose, but a surface is essentially two-dimensional and has an area, while the region it encloses is three-dimensional and has a volume. The attributes of surfaces, and in particular the idea of curvature, are investigated in differential geometry.
II
Outermost layer of a material or substance.

Because the particles (atoms or molecules) on the surface have nearest neighbours beside and below but not above, the physical and chemical properties of a surface differ from those of the bulk material; surface chemistry is thus a branch of physical chemistry. The growth of crystals, the actions of catalysts and detergents, and the phenomena of adsorption, surface tension, and capillarity are aspects of behaviour at surfaces. The appearance of the surface, whether achieved with electroplating, paint, oxidation-reduction, bleaching (see bleach), or another means, is aesthetically important.

* * *


Universalium. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужна курсовая?
Synonyms:
, , ,


Look at other dictionaries:

  • surface — [ syrfas ] n. f. • 1611; superface 1521; lat. superficies → superficie; de sur et face 1 ♦ Partie extérieure (d un corps), qui le limite en tous sens. ⇒ face. La surface de la Terre, la surface terrestre. À la surface du sol. « une surface pure… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • Surface — Sur face , n. [F. See {Sur }, and {Face}, and cf. {Superficial}.] 1. The exterior part of anything that has length and breadth; one of the limits that bound a solid, esp. the upper face; superficies; the outside; as, the surface of the earth; the …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Surface — Sur face, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Surfaced}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Surfacing}.] 1. To give a surface to; especially, to cause to have a smooth or plain surface; to make smooth or plain. [1913 Webster] 2. To work over the surface or soil of, as ground, in …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Surface — Sur face, v. i. 1. To rise from the depths of a liquid to the surface; as, the submarine surfaced to recharge its batteries. [PJC] 2. To become known or public; said of information. [PJC] 3. To show up, as a person who was in hiding; as, he… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Surface — (fr., spr. Sürfahs), die Oberfläche …   Pierer's Universal-Lexikon

  • surface — index bare, cursory, dimension, emerge, issue (send forth), ostensible, side, superficial …   Law dictionary

  • Surface — This article discusses surfaces from the point of view of topology. For other uses, see Differential geometry of surfaces, algebraic surface, and Surface (disambiguation). An open surface with X , Y , and Z contours shown. In mathematics,… …   Wikipedia

  • Surface — Cette page d’homonymie répertorie les différents sujets et articles partageant un même nom. Le mot « surface », du latin superficies désigne la partie apparente d un corps, puis une couche peu profonde[1]. Il est parfois utilisé pour… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • surface — (sur fa s ) s. f. 1°   Extérieur, dehors d un corps. Toute la surface du corps. •   Je ne crois pas qu on puisse blâmer ceux qui se servent indifféremment de superficie et de surface en toutes manières ; surface, comme plus nouveau, paraît… …   Dictionnaire de la Langue Française d'Émile Littré

  • surface — {{Roman}}I.{{/Roman}} noun ADJECTIVE ▪ even, flat, level, smooth ▪ rough, uneven ▪ curved ▪ …   Collocations dictionary

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
… Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”