balsa
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(bôl'sə) 
n.
n.
- A tropical American tree (Ochroma pyramidale) having wood that is soft, very light in weight, and that is used as a substitute for cork in insulation, floats, and crafts such as model airplanes.
- The wood of this tree. Also called corkwood.
- A raft consisting of a frame fastened to buoyant cylinders of wood or metal.
[Spanish.]
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Tree (Ochroma pyramidale, or O. lagopus) of the mallow family (Malvaceae), native to tropical South America and noted for its extremely light wood, which resembles clear white pine or basswood. Because of its buoyancy (about twice that of cork), balsa has long been used for making floats for lifelines and life preservers. Its resilience makes it an excellent shock-absorbing packing material. Its insulating properties make it a good lining material for incubators, refrigerators, and cold-storage rooms. Because it combines lightness and high insulating power, it is a valuable construction material for transportation containers for dry ice (solidified carbon dioxide). It is also used in the construction of airplane passenger compartments and in model airplanes and boats.
For more information on balsa, visit Britannica.com.
A fast-growing tree, Ochroma lagopus, widely distributed in tropical America, especially in Ecuador. The leaves are simple, angled, or lobed, and the flowers are large and yellowish-white or brownish, and they are terminal on the branches. See also Malvales.
With plenty of room for growth in a rich, well-drained soil at low elevations, the wood is very light and soft. However, under adverse conditions, the wood is heavier. Culture is important, for if the trees are injured only slightly, the wood develops a hard and fibrous texture, thereby losing its commercial value. To secure a uniform product the trees must be grown in plantations.
The wood decays easily in contact with the soil and is subject to sap stain if not promptly dried. Seasoned lumber absorbs water quickly, but this can be largely overcome by waterproofing.
Balsa owes most of its present commercial applications to its insulating properties. Balsa also has sound-deadening qualities, and is also used under heavy machinery to prevent transmission of vibrations. The heartwood of balsa is pale brown or reddish, whereas the sapwood is nearly white, often with a yellowish or pinkish hue. Luster is usually rather high, and the wood is odorless and tasteless.
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A very lightweight timber, easy to carve to fit limbs, used for making individual splints.
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categories related to 'balsa'
Translations:
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Balsa
Nederlands (Dutch)
balsa(hout), vlot, halsstarrig persoon
Deutsch (German)
n. - Balsabaum, Balsaholz
Ελληνική (Greek)
n. - (ξύλο από) μπάλσα, ελαφρόξυλο, φελούκα, είδος σχεδίας
Português (Portuguese)
n. - balsa (f) (Náut.), pau-de-balsa (Bot.)
Svenska (Swedish)
n. - balsa, balsaträd
中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
一种轻质木材, 筏
中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
n. - 一種輕質木材, 筏
العربيه (Arabic)
(الاسم) نوع من الخشب الخفيف
עברית (Hebrew)
n. - בלסה (עץ)
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