Back to: Science e-catalog Grade 5 e-Glossary C

List of Words for Letter ‘C’

Click on to hear the word and definition

cambium The layer in plants that separates the xylem from the phloem.
camouflage An adaptation by which an animal can hide by blending in with its surroundings.
carbon cycle The continuous exchange of carbon dioxide and oxygen among living things.
carrier An individual who has inherited a factor for a trait but does not show the trait physically.
carrying capacity The maximum population size that an ecosystem can support.
cell The smallest unit of living matter.
cellular respiration process in which energy is released from food.
chemical change A change of matter that occurs when atoms link together in a new way, creating a new substance different from the original substances.
chlorophyll A green chemical in plant cells that allows plants to use the Sun’s energy to make food.
cinder-cone volcano A steep-sided mountain that forms from explosive eruptions of thick lava. A loop formed when electric current passes through an unbroken path of conductors.
circuit A loop formed when electric current passes through an unbroken path of conductors.
circulatory system The organ system that consists of the heart and blood vessels and that moves blood through the body.
classification The science of organizing categories for living things.
climate The average weather pattern of a region.
climax community The final stage of succession in an area, unless a major change happens. A type of mixture in which the particles of one material are scattered through another and block the passage of light without settling out.
colloid A type of mixture in which the particles of one material are scattered through another and block the passage of light without settling out.
comet A mixture of ice, frozen gases, rock, and dust left over from the formation of the solar system.
commensalism A relationship between two kinds of organisms that benefits one without harming the other.
community All the living things in an ecosystem.
complete metamorphosis A series of four distinct growth stages.
composite volcano A mountain formed from alternating eruptions of lava and ash.
compost A mixture of dead plant material that can be used as fertilizer.
compound A substance that is formed by the chemical combination of two or more elements.
compound machine A combination of two or more simple machines.
condensation The changing of a gas into a liquid.
conduction The passing of heat through a material while the material itself stays in place. Any of a group of gymnosperms that produces seeds in cones and has needlelike leaves.
conifer Any of a group of gymnosperms that produces seeds in cones and has needlelike leaves.
conservation A Saving, protecting, or using natural resources wisely.
constellation Any of the patterns formed by groups of stars in the night sky. To people in the past, these patterns looked like pictures of animals or people.
convection The flow of heat through a liquid or gas, caused by hot parts rising and cooler parts sinking.
corrosion The gradual wearing away of a metal by combining with nonmetals in its environment. The rocky surface that makes up the top of the lithosphere and includes the continents and the ocean floor.
crust The rocky surface that makes up the top of the lithosphere and includes the continents and the ocean floor.
current An ocean movement; a large stream of water that flows in the ocean. Any storm with a low-pressure center that causes a circular pattern of winds to form.
cyclone Any storm with a low-pressure center that causes a circular pattern of winds to form.