| open chain compound | An organic compound in which the chain does not form a ring. Synonym: aliphatic compound, open chain compound. (05 Mar 2000) |
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| organic compound | <chemistry> A compound containing carbon. (11 Jan 1998) |
| lens, compound | <microscopy> A lens composed of two or more separate pieces of glass or other optical maternal. These component pieces or elements may or may not be cemented together. A common form of compound lens is a two-element objective, one element being a converging lens of crown glass and the other a diverging lens of flint glass. The combination of suitable glasses or other optical materials (plastics, minerals) properly ground and polished reduces aberrations normally present in a single lens. (05 Aug 1998) |