140 Science Words That Start with C (With Meaning & Examples)

Science is full of amazing words, and many of them begin with the letter C. Learning these words helps you understand science concepts better and makes reading textbooks easier. Whether you’re in school or just love learning, this list will help you learn science words in a fun and simple way Science Words That Start with C.

In this article, you’ll explore science words that start with C, grouped by grade level, subject, and followed by a full science glossary for students. You’ll also get examples and meanings for each word. It’s a great science learning tool for both kids and adults Science Words That Start with C.

C Words in Biology

Word	Meaning	Example
Cell	Basic unit of life	All living things are made of cells.
Chromosome	Carries genetic material	Humans have 46 chromosomes.
Cytoplasm	Fluid inside a cell	The cytoplasm holds cell parts in place.
Chloroplast	Where photosynthesis happens	Chloroplasts give leaves their green color.
Chlorophyll	Green pigment in plants	Chlorophyll helps plants absorb sunlight.
Centriole	Helps with cell division	Centrioles are active during mitosis.
Cilia	Tiny hairs on cells	Cilia help move mucus in the lungs.
Cytokinesis	Final stage of cell division	Cytokinesis splits the cell into two.
Codon	Three DNA bases coding for an amino acid	AUG is the start codon in protein synthesis.
Clone	Exact copy of an organism	A clone has the same DNA as the original.

C Words in Chemistry

Word	Meaning	Example
Compound	Two or more elements combined	Water is a compound of hydrogen and oxygen.
Catalyst	Speeds up chemical reactions	Enzymes act as catalysts in cells.
Carbon	Element found in living things	Carbon is present in coal and diamonds.
Concentration	Amount of substance in a solution	The salt concentration affects the boiling point.
Covalent bond	Shared electrons between atoms	Water molecules have covalent bonds.
Chemical reaction	A process that changes substances	Rust is a chemical reaction of iron and oxygen.
Crystallization	Formation of crystals	Salt forms crystals when water evaporates.
Chromatography	Method to separate mixtures	Chromatography helps analyze ink components.
Combustion	Reaction that burns with oxygen	Gasoline combustion powers cars.
Coefficient	Number of molecules in chemical equations	The 2 in 2H₂O is a coefficient.

Physics in C Words

Word	Meaning	Example
Current	Flow of electric charge	The current powers the light bulb.
Conductor	Allows electricity or heat to pass	Metals are good conductors.
Capacitance	A capacitor’s ability to store charge	Capacitance is measured in farads.
Compression	Force that squeezes something	Sound travels faster through compressed air.
Centripetal force	Keeps objects in circular motion	Gravity provides centripetal force for orbiting moons.
Circuit	Path for electric flow	A simple circuit powers a flashlight.
Coulomb	Unit of electric charge	One electron carries 1.6 x 10⁻¹⁹ coulombs.
Contact force	Force from physical touch	Friction is a type of contact force.
Conductance	Measure of a material’s ability to conduct	Silver has high conductance.
Calibration	Adjusting equipment for accuracy	The scale was calibrated before use.

C Words in Earth & Environmental Science

Word	Meaning	Example
Climate	Weather patterns over time	The Sahara has a hot and dry climate.
Crust	Earth’s outer layer	We live on the Earth’s crust.
Core	Center of Earth	The Earth’s core is very hot.
Canyon	Deep valley with steep sides	The Grand Canyon is famous worldwide.
Conservation	Protecting natural resources	Conservation helps save forests and animals.
Continent	Large landmass	Asia is the largest continent.
Carbon cycle	Movement of carbon through nature	Trees absorb carbon in the carbon cycle.
Cave	Natural hollow in the ground	Bats live in dark caves.
Compost	Decomposed organic waste	Compost improves soil quality.
Condensation	Gas to liquid change	Water droplets form by condensation.

Astronomy & Space Science

Word	Meaning	Example
Comet	Ice and dust ball in space	Halley’s Comet appears every 76 years.
Crater	Hole from impact	Meteorites make craters on the Moon.
Cosmos	Universe as a whole	The cosmos is still expanding.
Constellation	Group of stars forming a pattern	Orion is a well-known constellation.
Celestial	Related to the sky or space	The Moon is a celestial body.
Core (star)	Central region where energy is made	The Sun’s core is extremely hot.
Cosmic rays	High-energy space particles	Cosmic rays reach Earth’s surface.
Corona	Sun’s outermost atmosphere	The corona is seen during eclipses.
Circumpolar	Stars always visible in a region	Polaris is a circumpolar star in the north.
Collision	Two objects crashing in space	Some planets formed from space collisions.

C Words in Forensic Science

Word	Meaning	Example
Crime scene	Place where a crime happened	The police examined the crime scene.
Coagulation	Blood clotting process	Coagulation helps stop bleeding.
Contamination	Unwanted transfer of materials	Contamination can ruin DNA samples.
Chain of custody	Record of evidence handling	Chain of custody must be maintained in court.
Casing	Shell from a fired bullet	The casing was found at the scene.
Cross-examination	Questioning of a witness	The lawyer used cross-examination in court.
Chromatograph	Tool for separating chemicals	A chromatograph tested the suspect’s pen ink.
Cuticle	Outer layer of hair	The cuticle helps match hair samples.
Comparison microscope	Examines two samples together	A comparison microscope compared two bullets.
Cartridge	Holds a bullet and gunpowder	The cartridge was ejected from the firearm.

Important C Words in Math

Word	Meaning	Example
Coordinate	A point’s location on a grid	(2,3) is a coordinate on the graph.
Calculation	Finding a value through math	A calculator helps with quick calculation.
Constant	A fixed value	Pi is a constant in math and science.
Coefficient	Multiplier of a variable	In 4x, 4 is the coefficient.
Conversion	Changing units or values	You can convert meters to feet.
Correlation	Relationship between two things	The study showed strong correlation.
Cubic	3D shape or volume	A box is a cubic object.
Circle	Shape with all points equal from center	The orbit of Earth is nearly a circle.
Circumference	Distance around a circle	The formula is 2πr.
Curve	Smooth, bending line	Graphs can show a rising curve.

C Words in General Science

Word	Meaning	Example
Classification	Grouping by traits	Animals are grouped by classification.
Conclusion	Final decision based on data	The experiment led to a clear conclusion.
Concept	Basic scientific idea	Gravity is a common science concept.
Control	Constant factor in an experiment	A control is needed to test results.
Cell wall	Structure in plant cells	The cell wall gives plants strength.
Chamber	Closed space inside something	The heart has four chambers.
Communication	Sharing of information	Bees use dances for communication.
Circuit board	Supports electronics	The phone’s brain is a circuit board.
Conductivity	Ability to carry electricity	Copper has high conductivity.
Collision theory	Theory about reacting particles	Collision theory explains reaction rates.

Zoology in C Words

Word	Meaning	Example
Carnivore	Animal that eats meat	Lions are carnivores.
Camouflage	Color or shape that hides an animal	A chameleon uses camouflage to blend in.
Cold-blooded	Body temperature depends on environment	Snakes are cold-blooded animals.
Claw	Sharp nail on an animal	The eagle caught its prey with its claw.
Crest	Raised part on the head of some animals	The rooster has a red crest.
Carapace	Hard shell on the back of animals like turtles	The turtle’s carapace protects it from harm.
Colony	Group of animals living together	Ants live in large colonies.
Canine	Teeth used for tearing meat	Wolves use their canines for hunting.
Crustacean	Water animals with hard shells	Crabs are crustaceans found near the sea.
Caterpillar	Larval stage of butterflies and moths	The caterpillar turned into a butterfly.

C Words in Botany

Word	Meaning	Example
Cotyledon	First leaf from a seed	Beans have two cotyledons.
Cambium	Tissue that helps plant grow wider	Cambium helps trees grow thick bark.
Chloroplast	Part of plant that makes food	Plants need chloroplasts for photosynthesis.
Climber	Plant that grows upward using support	Grapevines are climbers.
Compound leaf	Leaf made of smaller leaflets	Rose has compound leaves.
Cuticle	Waxy layer on leaves	The cuticle prevents water loss in leaves.
Cortex	Part of stem or root between outer layer and core	The root cortex stores nutrients.
Creeper	Plant that grows along the ground	Pumpkin plants are creepers.
Cross-pollination	Pollen moves from one plant to another	Bees help in cross-pollination.
Crown	Top part of tree	The bird made a nest in the tree’s crown.

Oceanography in C Words

Word	Meaning	Example
Current	Flow of water in oceans	The Gulf Stream is a strong ocean current.
Coral	Marine animals forming reefs	Coral reefs are full of sea life.
Continental shelf	Shallow seabed near continents	Fishers often work near the continental shelf.
Crustacean	Animal with hard shell like shrimp or crab	Lobsters are crustaceans.
Channel	Narrow sea between land	Ships passed through the English Channel.
Coast	Land next to the sea	The coast was full of seashells.
Cove	Small, sheltered bay	The boat rested in the quiet cove.
Currents (tidal)	Water movement caused by tides	Tidal currents change with the moon.
Continental slope	Drop-off after the shelf	The slope leads to deep-sea areas.
Convection	Heat movement in water or air	Convection affects ocean temperature zones.

Medical Science

Word	Meaning	Example
Circulatory system	Moves blood through the body	The heart is part of the circulatory system.
Capillary	Smallest blood vessel	Oxygen moves through capillaries.
Cortex (brain)	Outer part of the brain	The cerebral cortex controls memory and thinking.
Cartilage	Soft tissue between bones	Your ear is made of cartilage.
Cavity	Hollow space in the body	The chest cavity holds the lungs.
Cell membrane	Outer layer of a cell	The cell membrane controls what enters the cell.
Chromatin	Material that makes up chromosomes	Chromatin holds the genetic code.
Clot	Thickened blood to stop bleeding	The body forms a clot to heal cuts.
Contagious	Can spread from person to person	Colds are contagious diseases.
Cranium	Skull that protects the brain	The cranium is made of hard bone.

C Words in Technology and Engineering

Word	Meaning	Example
Code	Instructions a computer follows	Programmers write code to make software.
Circuit	Path for electricity	The radio has a small circuit inside.
Chip	Small computer part	Every smartphone has a microchip.
Capacitor	Stores electrical charge	The capacitor helps regulate power in devices.
Conduction	Heat or electricity transfer	Metal heats up quickly due to conduction.
Compression	Reducing file size or material volume	Videos are compressed to save space.
Crank	Handle that turns gears	The old machine worked with a hand crank.
Connector	Joins parts together	A USB is a type of connector.
Coil	Wire wound in a spiral	The coil in the motor creates a magnetic field.
Conveyor	Moving belt in machines or factories	Items move along the conveyor in a factory.

C Words in Scientific Method and Experimentation

Word	Meaning	Example
Control group	Group not tested for comparison	The control group showed no change.
Constant	Condition that stays the same	Keep light levels constant in your experiment.
Conclusion	Final explanation based on results	We wrote a conclusion after checking data.
Chart	Diagram to show data	The chart showed temperature changes.
Calibration	Adjusting a tool for accuracy	The thermometer needs calibration.
Correlation	Relationship between variables	A strong correlation was found between light and growth.
Criteria	Rules or standards for judging	Clear criteria help rate an experiment.
Claim	Statement supported by evidence	The scientist made a claim based on facts.
Comparison	Checking how two things are alike	The experiment involved comparison of plant growth.
Constant variable	Factor that does not change	Temperature stayed the constant variable in the test.

Conclusion

Now you’ve seen how useful and powerful science words that start with C can be. This list gives you not just the words, but also the meanings and examples to make learning easier and more fun Science Words That Start with C.

Keep reviewing the list, try using the words in real-life situations, and explore new ones. Whether you’re in 3rd grade or high school, there’s always something new to learn in science.