The number zero has a number of interesting properties.

One of these properties is that ∀x. x + 0 = 0 + x = x. There is a name 
for this; zero is the "identity element" of various kinds of numbers 
under addition.

One has a similar property with respect to multiplication: ∀x. x * 1 = 1 
* x = x. So one is the identity element with respect to multiplication.

However, zero has another, more peculiar property: ∀x. x * 0 = 0 * x = 
0. For many years I have attempted to find out what the name for this 
property is. Today I found it:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Absorbing_element

So now we know.

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