The protruding part of a cup and other items, which allows the object to be grasped and manipulated, is called a handle.
We can find the notion of handle in different contexts. The dictionary of the Royal Spanish Academy ( RAE ), in fact, recognizes several meanings: asa can even appear as a noun , as a verbal conjugation or as a suffix .
In its most common use, the term comes from the Latin word ansa and refers to the protruding part of a tray , a cup or other similar element. The handles allow you to grab and manipulate the object in question.
Utility of a handle
In different types of products, the handle is essential. This is what serves to grasp and hold the piece safely and comfortably.
Usually the handle has a curved or ring- like design . Thanks to having this shape, it has a hole through which one or more fingers can be inserted or, in some cases, the entire hand.
The characteristics of the handles, however, vary depending on the product. In a mug , they are usually made of the same material as the rest of the item, although they may display a different color. When a person drinks something hot (such as coffee or tea), the body of the cup also becomes hot, but the handle does not.
On a tray , however, many times the handle is made of another material. A wooden tray may have metal handles, to mention one possibility.
Asa is a conjugation of the verb asar.
A laboratory instrument
A handle, on the other hand, is a laboratory instrument composed of a base and a filament ending in a ring. This tool is used to make a smear or to transfer an inoculum from one medium to another .
It should be noted that a small amount of a substance used to inoculate is called inoculum . Depending on the diameter of the loop ring, more or less inoculum can be transported.
Asa in biology and anatomy
The idea of a handle is also used to name various parts of the body with a curved appearance. The ear is even often called an asa: the external organ that makes hearing possible.
An example of this use of the concept is found in the loop of Henle . This tube that resembles a letter U is located in the kidney, forming part of the nephron. It owes its name to the German anatomist and doctor Friedrich Gustav Jakob Henle ( 1809 – 1885 ), who discovered the structure.
A vegetable juice
The RAE indicates that asa can also refer to a fluid produced by some umbelliferous plants . This type of vegetable is characterized by having umbel flowers and fruits formed by two achenes.
When we talk about sweet asa or odorous asa , we refer to a gum resin (a juice that, when in contact with air , solidifies). Asa fetida , on the other hand, is an umbellifer that can measure nearly two meters and whose gum resin is known for its unpleasant aroma and bad taste.
Asa as a suffix and as a verb
In the field of biochemistry , the suffix -asa is used to form the names of enzymes (proteins that catalyze certain biochemical reactions). Esterase , helicase and protease are some of them.
Asa, finally, is a conjugation of the verb roast : the action that consists of appealing to direct heat so that a food becomes edible: “While Juan roasts the meat, we can prepare the salads.”