(meteorology) rapid inward circulation of air masses about a low pressure center
cyclosis
Noun
the circulation of cytoplasm within a cell
candlelight
Noun
the light provided by a burning candle
candle flame
Noun
the light provided by a burning candle
chemical attraction
Noun
the force attracting atoms to each other and binding them together in a molecule
capillarity
Noun
a phenomenon associated with surface tension and resulting in the elevation or depression of liquids in capillaries
capillary action
Noun
a phenomenon associated with surface tension and resulting in the elevation or depression of liquids in capillaries
chain lightning
Noun
a form of lightning that moves rapidly in a zigzag path with one end divided (fork-like)
continental drift
Noun
the gradual movement and formation of continents (as described by plate tectonics)
centrifugal force
Noun
the outward force on a body moving in a curved path around another body
centripetal force
Noun
the inward force on a body moving in a curved path around another body
cold front
Noun
the front of an advancing mass of colder air
champion lode
Noun
the main vein of ore in a deposit
chemical bond
Noun
an electrical force linking atoms
condensate
Noun
atmospheric moisture that has condensed because of cold
condensate
Noun
a product of condensation
cohesion
Noun
(physics) the intermolecular force that holds together the molecules in a solid or liquid
cohesion
Noun
(botany) the process in some plants of parts growing together that are usually separate (such as petals)
cohesion
Noun
the state of cohering or sticking together
covalent bond
Noun
a chemical bond that involves sharing a pair of electrons between atoms in a molecule
cross-link
Noun
a side bond that links two adjacent chains of atoms in a complex molecule
cross-link
Verb
to join by creating covalent bonds of adjacent chains of a polymer or protein
cross-linkage
Noun
a side bond that links two adjacent chains of atoms in a complex molecule
coordinate bond
Noun
a covalent bond in which both electrons are provided by one of the atoms
chemical energy
Noun
that part of the energy in a substance that can be released by a chemical reaction
chinook wind
Noun
a warm dry wind blowing down the eastern slopes of the Rockies
chromatic aberration
Noun
an optical aberration in which the image has colored fringes
cold wave
Noun
a wave of unusually cold weather
compartment pressure
Noun
the air pressure maintained in an air-tight compartment especially in an aircraft
corpuscular-radiation pressure
Noun
the minute pressure exerted on a surface normal to the direction of propagation of a wave
cell death
Noun
(physiology) the normal degeneration and death of living cells (as in various epithelial cells)
corpuscular radiation
Noun
a stream of atomic or subatomic particles that may be charged positively (e.g. alpha particles) or negatively (e.g. beta particles) or not at all (e.g. neutrons)
caspase-mediated cell death
Noun
a type of cell death in which the cell uses specialized cellular machinery to kill itself
cerebral death
Noun
death when respiration and other reflexes are absent
carrier wave
Noun
a radio wave that can be modulated in order to transmit a signal
cloudburst
Noun
a heavy rain
chemiluminescence
Noun
luminescence resulting from a chemical reaction as the oxidation of luciferin in fireflies
conductance
Noun
a material's capacity to conduct electricity
cell wall
Noun
a rigid layer of polysaccharides enclosing the membrane of plant and prokaryotic cells
crustose thallus
Noun
thin crusty lichen thallus
calyptra
Noun
the hood or cap covering the calyx of certain plants: e.g., the California poppy
cleistothecium
Noun
closed spore-bearing structure of some fungi (especially Aspergillaceae and Erysiphaceae) from which spores are released only by decay or disintegration
cleistocarp
Noun
closed spore-bearing structure of some fungi (especially Aspergillaceae and Erysiphaceae) from which spores are released only by decay or disintegration
color spectrum
Noun
the distribution of colors produced when light is dispersed by a prism
conduction
Noun
the transmission of heat or electricity or sound
conductivity
Noun
the transmission of heat or electricity or sound
conditions
Noun
the atmospheric conditions that comprise the state of the atmosphere in terms of temperature and wind and clouds and precipitation
conditions
Noun
the set of circumstances that affect someone's welfare
conditions
Noun
the prevailing context that influences the performance or the outcome of a process