Union is the EU’s main decisionmaking
body. It is made up of representatives
of the governments of the
member countries. The European Commission
puts EU policies into action.
The Court of Justice holds trials. The
Court of Auditors makes sure that the
EU’s money is managed correctly.
History
AfterWorldWar II (1939–45) the countries
of western Europe wanted to avoid
future wars. Some leaders thought that
having their countries work together
would help.
In 1952 six countries—France,West
Germany, Italy, Belgium, The Netherlands,
and Luxembourg—formed the
European Coal and Steel Community
(ECSC). The ECSC brought together
the countries’ coal and steel businesses.
It was a success.
The ECSC countries then looked for
other ways to cooperate. In 1958 they
set up the European Atomic Energy
Community (also called Euratom) to
produce nuclear power together. They
also formed the European Economic
Community (EEC). The EEC worked
to get rid of taxes and rules that limited
trade in Europe.
The ECSC, Euratom, and the EEC
merged in 1967 to form the European
Communities (EC). More countries
joined the EC in the 1970s and 1980s.
The EC was so successful in economic
matters that its members started
working together in other ways. In
1991 the members agreed to form the
European Union. The EU was officially
created in 1993. It added more
members in the years that followed.
The EU currency, or form of money, is
called the euro. It was introduced in
1999. Most member countries switched
from their own currencies to the euro.
However, the United Kingdom and
some other countries did not. Some
countries not in the EU, such as
Andorra and Monaco, also use the euro.
The euro replaced a number of national
currencies, including the peseta (Spain) and
the mark (Germany).
The EU has
many offices.
The Council
meets in Brussels,
Belgium.
The Parliament
meets in Strasbourg,
France.
The Court of
Justice meets
in Luxembourg.
BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA European Union 165
Eurydice
#see Orpheus and Eurydice.
Evaporation and
Condensation
Evaporation and condensation are two
processes through which matter changes
from one state to another. Matter is
anything that takes up space. It can
exist in three different states: solid,
liquid, or gas. In evaporation, matter
changes from a liquid to a gas. In
condensation, matter changes from a
gas to a liquid.
All matter is made of tiny moving particles
called molecules. Evaporation and
condensation happen when these molecules
gain or lose energy in the form of
heat.
Evaporation
As the sun heats water in a puddle, the
puddle slowly shrinks. In a similar way,
as water in a pot boils, the level of the
water falls. These are two examples of
evaporation. The water seems to disappear,
but it actually moves into the air as
a gas called water vapor.
Evaporation happens when a liquid is
heated. The heat gives the liquid’s molecules
more energy. This energy causes
the molecules to move faster. If they
gain enough energy, the molecules near
the surface break away. These molecules
escape the liquid and enter the air as gas.
Condensation
An example of condensation can be seen
when drops of water form on the outside
of a glass of ice water. The drops
seem to appear from nowhere, but they
actually form from water vapor in the
air. The dew that forms on grass overnight
is another example of condensation.
Condensation is also the reason
that clouds form. Clouds are made up of
tiny water droplets, formed from water
vapor. The droplets collect around dust
or other particles in the air.
Condensation happens when molecules
in a gas cool down. As the molecules
lose heat, they lose energy. As a result
they slow down. They move closer to
other gas molecules. Finally these molecules
collect together to form a liquid.
#More to explore
Dew • Heat • Matter • Molecule
•Water
Steam from boiling water is
actually water vapor. It forms
through evaporation.
166 Eurydice BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA
Everest, Mount
The highest point on Earth is Mount
Everest. Everest is one of the Himalayas
of southern Asia. The peak is on the
border between Nepal and the Chinese
region of Tibet. In Tibetan the peak is
known as Chomolungma, meaning
“Goddess Mother of theWorld.”
Mount Everest rises to a height of
29,035 feet (8,850 meters). The air at
that height is thin, the temperatures are
very cold, and the winds are extraordinarily
strong. The conditions near the
top are too harsh for any plant or animal
life to survive. Huge ice sheets called
glaciers cover the slopes down to the
base of the mountain.
Some Tibetan-speaking peoples live in
the valleys below the mountain. The
best known are the Sherpa. They live in
villages at altitudes up to about 14,000
feet (4,300 meters). The Sherpa are
known for their strength and endurance
at high altitudes. They lead climbing
trips in the Himalayas.
Mount Everest has long been a challenge
to mountaineers. Early attempts to reach
the summit began in the 1920s. They
failed largely because of the harsh conditions
on the mountain. The first successful
climb took place in 1953. Edmund
Hillary of New Zealand and Tenzing
Norgay, a Nepalese Sherpa guide, were
