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Celsius scale the referent scale that defines Chinook a warm wind that has been warmed condensation nuclei tiny particles such as s
numerical values for measuring hotness by compression; also called Santa Ana tiny dust, smoke, soot, and salt crystals that
or coldness, defined as degrees of tem- chondrites a subdivision of stony meteorites are suspended in the air on which water
perature; based on the reference points of containing small, spherical lumps of sili- condenses
the freezing point of water and the boiling cate minerals or glass condensation point the temperature at
point of water at sea-level pressure, with chondrules small, spherical lumps of silicate which a gas or vapor changes back to a
100 degrees between the two points minerals or glass found in some meteorites liquid
cementation a process by which spaces be- cinder cone volcano a volcanic cone that conduction the transfer of heat from a region
tween buried sediment particles under formed from cinders, sharp-edged rock of higher temperature to a region of lower
compaction are filled with binding chemi- fragments that cooled from frothy blobs of temperature by increased kinetic energy
cal deposits, binding the particles into a lava as they were thrown into the air moving from molecule to molecule
rigid, cohesive mass of a sedimentary rock cirque a bowl-like depression in the side of consistent law principle one of two basic
Cenozoic one of four geologic eras; the time a mountain, usually at the upper end of a principles of the special theory of relativity;
of recent life, meaning the fossils of this era mountain valley, formed by glacial erosion the laws of physics are the same in all refer-
are identical to the life found on Earth today clastic sediments weathered rock fragments ence frames that move at a constant veloc-
centigrade an alternate name for the Celsius that are in various states of being broken ity with respect to one another
scale down from solid bedrock; boulders, gravel, constancy of speed one of two basic principles
centrifugal force an apparent outward force sand, and silt of the special theory of relativity; the speed of
on an object following a circular path that climate the general pattern of weather that light in empty space has the same value for
is a consequence of the third law of motion occurs in a region over a number of years all observers regardless of their velocity
centripetal force the force required to pull climate change a departure from the expected constructive interference the condition in
an object out of its natural straight-line average pattern of climate for a region which two waves arriving at the same place,
path and into a circular path; centripetal over time at the same time and in phase, add ampli-
means “center seeking” coalescence process (meteorology) the tudes to create a new wave
Cepheid variable a bright variable star that process by which large raindrops form continental air mass a dry air mass that
can be used to measure distance from the merging and uniting of millions forms over a large land area
chain reaction a self-sustaining reaction of tiny water droplets continental climate a climate influenced by
where some of the products are able to pro- cold front the front that is formed as a cold air masses from large land areas; hot sum-
duce more reactions of the same kind; in air mass moves into warmer air mers and cold winters
a nuclear chain reaction, neutrons are the combination reaction a chemical reaction continental drift a concept that continents
products that produce more nuclear reac- in which two or more substances combine shift positions on Earth’s surface, moving
tions in a self-sustaining series to form a single compound across the surface rather than being fixed,
chemical bond an attractive force that holds comets celestial objects originating from the stationary landmasses
atoms together in a compound outer edges of the solar system that move about continental glaciers glaciers that cover a
chemical change a change in which the the Sun in highly elliptical orbits; solar heat- large area of a continent, for example,
identity of matter is altered and new ing and pressure from the solar wind form a Greenland and the Antarctic
substances are formed tail on the comet that points away from the Sun continental shelf a feature of the ocean
chemical energy a form of energy involved compaction the process of pressure from a floor; the flooded margins of the continents
in chemical reactions associated with depth of overlying sediments squeezing the that form a zone of relatively shallow water
changes in internal potential energy; a kind deeper sediments together and squeezing adjacent to the continents
of potential energy that is stored and later water out continental slope a feature of the ocean
released during a chemical reaction composite volcano a volcanic cone that floor; a steep slope forming the transition
chemical equation a concise way of describ- formed from a buildup of alternating layers between the continental shelf and the deep
ing what happens in a chemical reaction of cinders, ash, and lava flows ocean basin

chemical equilibrium occurs when two op- compound a pure chemical substance that control rods rods inserted between fuel rods
posing reactions happen at the same time can be decomposed by a chemical change into in a nuclear reactor to absorb neutrons and
and at the same rate simpler substances with a fixed mass ratio thus control the rate of the nuclear chain
chemical reaction a change in matter where compressive stress a force that tends to com- reaction
different chemical substances are created press the surface as Earth’s plates move into controlled experiment an experiment that
by forming or breaking chemical bonds one another allows for a comparison of two events that
chemical sediments ions from rock ma- concentration an arbitrary description of are identical in all but one respect
terials that have been removed from the relative amounts of solute and solvent in convection the transfer of heat from a re-
solution—for example, carbonate ions re- a solution; a larger amount of solute makes gion of higher temperature to a region of
moved by crystallization or organisms to a concentrated solution, and a small amount lower temperature by the displacement of
form calcium carbonate chemical sediments of solute makes a dilute concentration high-energy molecules—for example, the
chemical weathering the breakdown of condensation (sound) a compression of gas displacement of warmer, less dense air
minerals in rocks by chemical reactions with molecules; a pulse of increased density and (higher kinetic energy) by cooler, denser
water, gases of the atmosphere, or solutions pressure that moves through the air at the air (lower kinetic energy)
chemistry the science concerned with the speed of sound convection cell a complete convective circu-
study of the composition, structure, and condensation (water vapor) where more lation pattern; also, slowly turning regions
properties of substances and the transfor- vapor or gas molecules are returning to the in the plastic asthenosphere that might
mations they undergo liquid state than are evaporating drive the motion of plate tectonics

G-3 Glossary