GLOSSARY - Archaeological Chemistry - page 467

casting, false core See false core casting .
casting, hollow See hollow casting .
casting, hollow sand See hollow sand casting .
casting, lost wax See lost wax casting .
casting, open-mold See open - mold casting .
catalysis The acceleration, or repression, of a chemical reaction by a substance,
known as a catalyst, that is chemically unaltered by the reaction.
catechu A natural dye derived from several trees, the main variety is Acacua catechu ,
natural to India.
catenation The bonding of atoms of the same element into chains or rings.
cathode The negative terminal of an electric source or circuit; see anode .
cathodic protection The protection of a metal or alloy from corrosion due to its
contact with a baser metal or alloy.
cation An ion with a positive electric charge.
caustic A basic substance that irritates and disintegrates living tissues.
cell (1) In biology, the basic structural unit of all living organisms; (2) in chemistry,
a receptacle in which an electric current in a circuit flows from one metal termi-
nal known as the cathode , through a chemical solution to a second terminal known
as the anode ; (3) a small, limited space.
cellulose The main constituent of wood and the most abundant biological material
on the surface of the earth; it is a biopolymeric carbohydrate that consists of linearly
joined glucose molecules .
cellulose fibers Vegetable fibers , such as cotton , linen , and jute , which are composed
mainly of cellulose .
Celsius ( ° C) A scale for measuring temperatures, also known as the centigrade scale ,
where the freezing point of water is 0°C and the boiling point 100°C.
cement A natural or artificial fluid or semifluid substance , or mixture of substances,
that hardens to act as an adhesive for binding solid surfaces together.
cement, hydraulic

A type of waterproof stony cement that sets even under water;

see pozzolana .
cement, stony A soft and plastic adhesive mixture of an inorganic substance such as
plaster of Paris , or a mixture of inorganic materials, as, for example, clay and lime
cement with water, that on drying sets into a hard and stable cementing solid; see
adobe .
cementation (1) The deposition of mineral matter between rock fragments; (2) a dia-
genetic process that involves the precipitation of solids in the empty space between
the particles of sediments , binding them into rock .
cementite The common name for a very hard and brittle compound of iron and
carbon, namely, iron carbide.
ceramic An inorganic , nonmetallic solid made by processing earthy material s such as
clays at high temperature; see burned brick , pottery , porcelain , and glass .