science

Lap desk

Lap desk is a science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Lap desk rather than just read about it. In short: The lap desk is a desk set in the lap. In the European tradition, it can be considered a modern form of the portable desk.

Key takeaways

Lap desk belongs to science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Lap desk to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Lap desk from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

The lap desk is a desk set in the lap. In the European tradition, it can be considered a modern form of the portable desk.

Antique lap desk

As an antique the lap desk is a smaller variant of the writing slope. It is also called a writing box, writing desk, or writing cabinet. In certain instances it is known as a portable desk, a term which is usually applied to larger forms. Most antique lap desks are meant to be used on a table or some other stable surface. They are often strongly built of fine hardwoods like mahogany or walnut. Antique lap desks had hinged writing surfaces, often covered in leather, felt, or other material, that flip up to reveal storage space for papers. Individual compartments were designed to hold inkwells, pens, sealing wax, and other contemporary writing materials. Some desks also had concealed storage compartments.

Modern lap desk As a modern form the lap desk is meant primarily for use in bed and other similar circumstances, it is also known as a bed desk. There are a wide variety of forms available, but as a rule it is much smaller and simpler than the antique lap desk, having at the most a small drawer or holding area for a ballpoint pen and a pencil. It is also made of much cheaper materials, save for a few craft productions. Certain lap desks have a removable monopod, which makes them collapsible cousins to the lectern desk. Others have two short collapsible legs, so that they can be used both in bed and on a lap, when the legs are folded. Finally, some come with a built-in battery powered lamp, continuing the tradition of those antique lap desks and writing slopes which had swinging or hinged brass candle holders built in. Some new lap desks now have a built-in cup holder. Most modern lap desks are considered specialty items and very few furniture dealers keep them in stock. They are present, however, in a large number of catalogs and on some commercial Web sites. There are also lap desks made for laptop computers. These desks were designed not only to raise the laptops from their surrounding environments (such as beds), but they were also designed to provide extra clearances to provide adequate air circulation to the laptops. Some of them are also equipped with extra fans to increase air circulation.

See also List of desk forms and types Pilot's kneeboard

References Charron, Andy (2000). Desks: Outstanding Projects from America's Best Craftsmen. Newtown, CT: Taunton Press. pp. 20–33. ISBN 9781561583485. OCLC 44128334. Considine, Brian (Spring 1976). "Shaker Lap Desk: A Challenging Exercise in Hand Dovetailing". Fine Woodworking. No. 2. pp. 48–49. ISSN 0361-3453. OCLC 2246347. Mehler, Kelly (March–April 1988). "Walnut Lap Desk: Cutting Corners with Finger Joints". Fine Woodworking. No. 69. pp. 54–57. ISSN 0361-3453. OCLC 2246347. Schleining, Lon (September–October 2000). "Thomas Jefferson's Writing Desk". Fine Woodworking. No. 144. pp. 64–71. ISSN 0361-3453. OCLC 2246347.

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Lap desk

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Lap desk claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Lap desk before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Lap desk ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Lap desk

In research: Lap desk appears in science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Lap desk in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Lap desk is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Antiques, Desks, Furniture, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Lap desk outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Lap desk in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Lap desk means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Lap desk out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Lap desk in simple terms?

The lap desk is a desk set in the lap. In the European tradition, it can be considered a modern form of the portable desk.

Why does Lap desk matter?

Because it connects several science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Lap desk?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Lap desk.