
Wood | Properties, Production, Uses, & Facts | Britannica
Apr 8, 2025 · Wood, the principal strengthening and nutrient-conducting tissue of trees and other plants and one of the most abundant and versatile natural materials. It is strong in relation to its weight, is insulating to heat and electricity, and has desirable acoustic properties.
Wood - Uses, Structure, Properties | Britannica
Apr 8, 2025 · Wood - Uses, Structure, Properties: This section discusses the products of primary mechanical processing of wood—roundwood products (e.g., poles and pilings), sawn wood (primarily lumber), veneer, plywood and laminated wood, …
Wood - Strength, Structure, Uses | Britannica
Apr 8, 2025 · Such wide application is made possible by the versatility of wood and its many desirable qualities, such as high strength for its weight, workability, and aesthetic appeal. But wood also has certain undesirable characteristics. It can burn and decay, for instance.
Wood - Bark, Bark Products, Uses | Britannica - Encyclopedia …
Apr 8, 2025 · Wood - Bark, Bark Products, Uses: Bark constitutes, on the average, about 10 percent of the volume of a tree, but the figure varies depending on tree species and age. Although inner and outer bark can be distinguished by eye, growth rings are not macroscopically distinct.
wood - Students | Britannica Kids | Homework Help
Mechanical properties are determined by a number of factors. High-density wood is generally stronger than low-density wood. Wood’s strength and stiffness is decreased by a high moisture content, by exposure to high temperatures, and by decay and attack by insects.
Bakelite | Synthetic Plastic, Industrial Uses & History | Britannica
A hard, infusible, and chemically resistant plastic, Bakelite was based on a chemical combination of phenol and formaldehyde (phenol-formaldehyde resin), two compounds that were derived from coal tar and wood alcohol , respectively, at that time. This made it the first truly synthetic resin, representing a significant advance over earlier ...
bark - Students | Britannica Kids | Homework Help
The cambium forms the wood as well as the inner layer of bark. This inner layer of bark consists of living tissue called phloem, which carries the food that is made in the leaves to all the other parts of the tree.
The anatomy and organization of wood - Encyclopedia Britannica
Mar 3, 2025 · Tree - Anatomy, Organization, Wood: Wood is characterized by the axial and radial structures derived from the fusiform and ray initials. The radial system transports carbohydrates from the inner bark to the wood.
Tree structure and growth - Encyclopedia Britannica
Mar 3, 2025 · The cells formed toward the inside are called secondary xylem, or wood, and those formed toward the outside of the cambium are called secondary phloem. The bark and the wood together constitute the secondary plant body of the tree. The woody vascular tissue provides both longitudinal and transverse movement for carbohydrates and water.
Wood wasp | Parasitic, Larvae, Pupae | Britannica
Wood wasp, primitive insect belonging to any of three families in the suborder Symphyta (order Hymenoptera): Xiphydriidae, Orussidae (sometimes spelled Oryssidae), and Anaxyelidae. Orussidae are known as parasitic wood wasps; Anaxyelidae are known as cedar wood wasps.