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Glossary

 Darcy's Law
an empirical relationship between hydraulic gradient and the viscous flow of water in the saturated zone of a porous medium under conditions of laminar flow. The flux of vapors through the voids of the vadose zone can be related to a pressure gradient through the air permeability by Darcy's Law.
 DEBENTURE
Debt instrument evidencing the holder's right to receive interest and principal installments from the named obligor. Applies to all forms of unsecured, long-term debt evidenced by a certificate of debt.
 DEBT CAPITAL
Business financing that normally requires periodic interest payments and repayment of the principal within a specified time.
 DEBT FINANCING
The provision of long term loans to small business concerns in exchange for debt securities or a note.
 DEBT TO TOTAL ASSETS RATIO
Total debt divided by total assets.
 DEED OF TRUST
A document under seal which, when delivered, transfers a present interest in property. May be held as collateral.
 DEFAULTS
The nonpayment of principal and/or interest on the due date as provided by the terms and conditions of the note.
 DEFERRED LOAN
Loans whose principal and or interest installments are postponed for a specified period of time.
 degradation potential
the degree to which a substance is likely to be reduced to a simpler form by bacterial activity.
 denitrification
bacterial reduction of nitrite to gaseous nitrogen under anaerobic conditions.
 density
the amount of mass per unit volume.
 DEPRECIATION
Except for land, asses wear out. The value goes down and can be deducted from your business as an expense. Present values of assets are shown as original cost less depreciation. Market value, or the price you could sell it for, could differ from this figure.
 Depreciation
A portion of the cost of a business’ capital equipment that may be deducted from annual gross profits as an operating expense. There are several types of accounting methods for determining depreciation including straight line and accelerated. Both assume that the capital equipment has a “useful life” after which time it has only minimal value (salvage value). The cost of the equipment, minus any salvage value, is deducted over the course of its useful life. In straight line depreciation the original cost minus the salvage value is divided by the number of years of useful life into equal dollar amounts. These amounts are deducted each year as an operating expense throughout the useful life period (in some cases five, but more typically ten to fifteen years). In accelerated depreciation different formulas can be used to provide larger dollar amounts in the early years of useful life. The amount of depreciation deducted as an expense declines over time. Two of the more common types of accelerated depreciation include double-declining-balance depreciation and sum-of-the-year’s-digits depreciation. Each method of depreciation offers particular benefits. Consult your accountant for advice on which is best for your operation.
 DEPRECIATION SCHEDULE
An accounting procedure for determining the amount of value left in a piece of equipment.
 diffusion
the process by which molecules in a single phase equilibrate to a zero concentration gradient by random molecular motion (Brownian motion). The flux of molecules is from regions of high concentration to low concentration and is governed by Fick's Second Law.
 Direct Financing Lease
A lessor capital lease that does not give rise to manufacturer's or dealer's profit (or loss) to the lessor.
 DISCOUNT INTEREST RATE
One in which the amount of interest is deducted from the face value of the loan with the borrower receiving the remainder.
 Discounted Cash Flow Analysis
Comparison of cash flows resulting from two or more investment or payment obligation alternatives by calculating the
 dispersion
the process by which a substance or chemical spreads and dilutes in flowing groundwater or soil gas.
 dissolution
dissolving of a substance in a liquid solvent (e.g., water).
 DIVESTITURE
Change of ownership and/or control of a business from a majority (non-disadvantaged) to disadvantaged persons.
 downgradient
in the direction of decreasing static head (potential).
 Downstream Operations
Operations concerned with oil refining, transportation and gasoline marketing.
 drawdown
lowering the water table due to withdrawal of groundwater as from a well.
 DTW
Dealer Tank Wagon-Wholesale price of gasoline delivered to a retail outlet (transportation costs are included)
 dynamic viscosity
a measure of a fluid's resistance to tangential or shear stress.
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