| water-electrolyte balance | The state of the body in relation to the intake and excretion of water and electrolytes, particularly sodium and potassium. It exists in a metabolic balance internally with body fluid compartments, total body water, blood volume, extracellular space, etc., externally through sensible and insensible sweating. The hypothalamus controls water balance. (12 Dec 1998) |
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| Wilhelmy balance | A device for measuring surface tension in terms of the pull exerted on a thin plate of platinum or other material suspended vertically through the surface; used in a Langmuir trough to study pulmonary surfactant. (05 Mar 2000) |
| nitrogen balance | The difference between the total nitrogen intake by an organism and its total nitrogen loss. A normal, healthy adult has a zero nitrogen balance, Nin Nout (i.e., a positive nitrogen balance. (05 Mar 2000) |
| occlusal balance | A condition in which there are simultaneous contacts of the occluding units of the opposing dental arches in centric and eccentric positions within the functional range. (05 Mar 2000) |
| energy balance | <radiobiology> Comparison of energy put into a plasma with the energy dissipated by the system, related to energy confinement. (09 Oct 1997) |