| formula | Origin: L, dim. Of forma form, model. SeeForm. 1. A prescribed or set form; an established rule; a fixed or conventional method in which anything is to be done, arranged, or said. 2. A written confession of faith; a formal statement of foctrines. 3. <mathematics> A rule or principle expressed in algebraic language; as, the binominal formula. 4. <medicine> A prescription or recipe for the preparation of a medicinal compound. 5. <chemistry> A symbolic expression (by means of letters, figures, etc) of the constituents or constitution of a compound. Chemical formulae consist of the abbreviations of the names of the elements, with a small figure at the lower right hand, to denote the number of atoms of each element contained. <chemistry> Empirical formula, a formula indicating the supposed molecular constitution of a compound. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
|---|---|
| formula feeding | The ability of the breast to produce milk diminishes soon after childbirth without the stimulation of breastfeeding. Immunity factors in breast milk can help the baby to fight off infections. Breast milk contains vitamins, minerals, and enzymes which aid the baby's digestion. Breast and formula feeding can be used together. (12 Dec 1998) |
| Ledermann formula | A formula to calculate alcohol dependancy levels. Ledermann showed empirically that the distribution of alcohol consumption in a population is log normal; the formula used this observation to estimate the prevalence of various degrees of alcohol dependency. Some questions have been raised about the validity of Ledermann's observations. (05 Mar 2000) |
| Long's formula | A formula for estimating from the specific gravity of a specimen of urine the approximate amount of solids in grams per liter; the last two figures of the value for specific gravity are multiplied by 2.6. Synonym: Long's coefficient. (05 Mar 2000) |