vortex theory (English, noun)
expansion: vortex theory (uncountable)
Senses:
topics: natural-sciences
physical-sciences
physics
glosses: An obsolete scientific theory, chiefly developed by René Descartes, which attempted to explain celestial mechanics and the phenomena now described as gravitation by positing a system of fluid vortices governed by centrifugal forces and extending outwards from the sun.
tags: historical
uncountable
glosses: The vortex theory of the atom: a theory by Lord Kelvin, to explain why there are relatively few types of atom, but a huge number of each type.
tags: uncountable
glosses: Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see vortex, theory.
tags: uncountable
Forms: