condensation nucleus

noun

, Meteorology.

1. nucleus ( def 5 ).

Word History and Origins

Origin of condensation nucleus¹

First recorded in 1910–15

Example Sentences

As a result, the particles become a condensation nucleus on which a water droplet forms -- this is the only way to create fog or a cloud.

From Science Daily

In the atmosphere, that gas is chemically transformed to sulfate, a highly efficient cloud condensation nucleus.

From Science Magazine