nucleation

noun

The act or process of nucleating or forming nuclei; the state of aggregation of matter about nuclei; the loading of central nuclei with specific kinds of otherwise amorphous material lying adjacent to them.

noun

Specifically, in physical, cloudy condensation, in an atmosphere containing vapor, due to the gathering of minute globules of liquid about floating particles called nuclei.

noun

The first stage of a phase transition in a small region.

noun

The formation of cell nuclei.