types:
radiation
the spread of a group of organisms into new habitats
absorption
(physics) the process in which incident radiated energy is retained without reflection or transmission on passing through a medium
acidification
the process of becoming acid or being converted into an acid
adiabatic process
(thermodynamics) any process that occurs without gain or loss of heat
aeration
the process of exposing to air (so as to purify)
capture
any process in which an atomic or nuclear system acquires an additional particle
capture
a process whereby a star or planet holds an object in its gravitational field
centrifugation
the process of separating substances of different densities by the use of a centrifuge
chromatography
a process used for separating mixtures by virtue of differences in absorbency
concretion
the formation of stonelike objects within a body organ (e.g., the kidneys)
condensation
the process of changing from a gaseous to a liquid or solid state
convection
(meteorology) the vertical movement of heat or other properties by massive motion within the atmosphere
decay
the process of gradually becoming inferior
desorption
changing from an adsorbed state on a surface to a gaseous or liquid state
diffusion
(physics) the process in which there is movement of a substance from an area of high concentration of that substance to an area of lower concentration
drift
the gradual departure from an intended course due to external influences (as a ship or plane)
ecesis,
establishment
(ecology) the process by which a plant or animal becomes established in a new habitat
extinction
the reduction of the intensity of radiation as a consequence of absorption and radiation
extraction
the process of obtaining something from a mixture or compound by chemical or physical or mechanical means
feedback
the process in which part of the output of a system is returned to its input in order to regulate its further output
filtration
the process whereby fluids pass through a filter or a filtering medium
flocculation
the process of flocculating; forming woolly cloudlike aggregations
flow
any uninterrupted stream or discharge
formation
natural process that causes something to form
fossilisation,
fossilization
the process of fossilizing a plant or animal that existed in some earlier age; the process of being turned to stone
ion exchange
a process in which ions are exchanged between a solution and an insoluble (usually resinous) solid; widely used in industrial processing
ionisation,
ionization
the process of ionizing; the formation of ions by separating atoms or molecules or radicals or by adding or subtracting electrons from atoms by strong electric fields in a gas
nuclear reaction
(physics) a process that alters the energy or structure or composition of atomic nuclei
oxygenation
the process of providing or combining or treating with oxygen
precession of the equinoxes
a slow westward shift of the equinoxes along the plane of the ecliptic caused by precession of the Earth's axis of rotation
release
a process that liberates or discharges something
saltation
(geology) the leaping movement of sand or soil particles as they are transported in a fluid medium over an uneven surface
scattering
the physical process in which particles are deflected haphazardly as a result of collisions
sericulture
raising silkworms in order to obtain raw silk
sink
(technology) a process that acts to absorb or remove energy or a substance from a system
soak,
soakage,
soaking
the process of becoming softened and saturated as a consequence of being immersed in water (or other liquid)
sorption
the process in which one substance takes up or holds another (by either absorption or adsorption)
source
(technology) a process by which energy or a substance enters a system
stimulation
(physiology) the effect of a stimulus (on nerves or organs etc.)
ecological succession,
succession
(ecology) the gradual and orderly process of change in an ecosystem brought about by the progressive replacement of one community by another until a stable climax is established
synergism,
synergy
the working together of two things (muscles or drugs for example) to produce an effect greater than the sum of their individual effects
transduction
the process whereby a transducer accepts energy in one form and gives back related energy in a different form
transpiration
the passage of gases through fine tubes because of differences in pressure or temperature
heat sink
a metal conductor specially designed to conduct (and radiate) heat
adaptive radiation
the development of many different forms from an originally homogeneous group of organisms as they fill different ecological niches
turbulent flow
flow in which the velocity at any point varies erratically
streamline flow
flow of a gas or liquid in which the velocity at any point is relatively steady
absorption,
soaking up
(chemistry) a process in which one substance permeates another; a fluid permeates or is dissolved by a liquid or solid
activation
stimulation of activity in an organism or chemical
acylation
the process of introducing an acyl group into a compound
advection
(meteorology) the horizontal transfer of heat or other atmospheric properties
alluvion
gradual formation of new land, by recession of the sea or deposit of sediment
association
(chemistry) any process of combination (especially in solution) that depends on relatively weak chemical bonding
calcification
a process that impregnates something with calcium (or calcium salts)
catalysis,
contact action
acceleration of a chemical reaction induced the presence of material that is chemically unchanged at the end of the reaction
chain reaction
a self-sustaining nuclear reaction; a series of nuclear fissions in which neutrons released by splitting one atom leads to the splitting of others
chelation
the process of forming a ring by forming one or more hydrogen bonds
chlorination
the addition or substitution of chlorine in organic compounds
cleavage
the breaking of a chemical bond in a molecule resulting in smaller molecules
convection
the transfer of heat through a fluid (liquid or gas) caused by molecular motion
corruption
decay of matter (as by rot or oxidation)
cracking
the process whereby heavy molecules of naphtha or petroleum are broken down into hydrocarbons of lower molecular weight (especially in the oil-refining process)
decarboxylation
the process of removing a carboxyl group from a chemical compound (usually replacing it with hydrogen)
decoction
(pharmacology) the extraction of water-soluble drug substances by boiling
degaussing
the process of making a (steel) ship's hull nonmagnetic by producing an opposing magnetic field
desertification
the gradual transformation of habitable land into desert; is usually caused by climate change or by destructive use of the land
diastrophism
the process of deformation that produces continents and ocean basins in the earth's crust
digestion
the process of decomposing organic matter (as in sewage) by bacteria or by chemical action or heat
dissociation
(chemistry) the temporary or reversible process in which a molecule or ion is broken down into smaller molecules or ions
elution
the process of extracting one material from another by washing with a solvent to remove adsorbed material from an adsorbent (as in washing of loaded ion-exchange resins to remove captured ions); used to obtain uranium ions
emission
the release of electrons from parent atoms
fibrinolysis
a normal ongoing process that dissolves fibrin and results in the removal of small blood clots
filling
flow into something (as a container)
fission,
nuclear fission
a nuclear reaction in which a massive nucleus splits into smaller nuclei with the simultaneous release of energy
flowage
gradual internal motion or deformation of a solid body (as by heat)
fold,
folding
a geological process that causes a bend in a stratum of rock
freeze,
freezing
the withdrawal of heat to change something from a liquid to a solid
gassing
the process of interacting with gas
glaciation
the process of covering the earth with glaciers or masses of ice
hydrogenation
a chemical process that adds hydrogen atoms to an unsaturated oil
infusion
the process of extracting certain active properties (as a drug from a plant) by steeping or soaking (usually in water)
intrusion
the forcing of molten rock into fissures or between strata of an earlier rock formation
inversion
a chemical process in which the direction of optical rotation of a substance is reversed from dextrorotatory to levorotary or vice versa
iodination
the substitution or addition of iodine atoms in organic compounds
leeway
(of a ship or plane) sideways drift
libration
(astronomy) a real or apparent slow oscillation of a moon or satellite
liquefaction
the conversion of a solid or a gas into a liquid
lysis
(biochemistry) dissolution or destruction of cells such as blood cells or bacteria
metamorphism
change in the structure of rock by natural agencies such as pressure or heat or introduction of new chemical substances
microphoning
the transduction of sound waves into electrical waves (by a microphone)
nitrification
the chemical process in which a nitro group is added to an organic compound (or substituted for another group in an organic compound)
orogeny
the process of mountain formation (especially by the upward displacement of the earth's crust)
osmosis
(biology, chemistry) diffusion of molecules through a semipermeable membrane from a place of higher concentration to a place of lower concentration until the concentration on both sides is equal
petrifaction,
petrification
the process of turning some plant material into stone by infiltration with water carrying mineral particles without changing the original shape
photosynthesis
synthesis of compounds with the aid of radiant energy (especially in plants)
potentiation
(medicine) the synergistic effect of two drugs given simultaneously
proteolysis
the hydrolysis of proteins into peptides and amino acids by cleavage of their peptide bonds
reticulation
(photography) the formation of a network of cracks or wrinkles in a photographic emulsion
rigor mortis
muscular stiffening that begins 2 to 4 hours after death and lasts for about 4 days
sequestration
the action of forming a chelate or other stable compound with an ion or atom or molecule so that it is no longer available for reactions
origin
the source of something's existence or from which it derives or is derived
spallation
(physics) a nuclear reaction in which a bombarded nucleus breaks up into many particles
subduction
a geological process in which one edge of a crustal plate is forced sideways and downward into the mantle below another plate
synaeresis,
syneresis
the separation of liquid from a gel that is caused by contraction (as in cheese making)
synthesis
the process of producing a chemical compound (usually by the union of simpler chemical compounds)
transamination
the process of transfering an amino group from one compound to another
transamination
the process of transposing an amino group within a chemical compound
transport
an exchange of molecules (and their kinetic energy and momentum) across the boundary between adjacent layers of a fluid or across cell membranes
fracking
a method of extracting natural gas or oil from rock by injecting liquid at high pressure