coordination compound
A compound in which coordinate bonds are formed (see chemical bond). The term is used especially for inorganic ...
covalent bond
A valence bond formed by a shared electron between the atoms in a covalent compound. See disulfide linkage, glycosidic bonds, high-energy bond, peptide bond, phosphodiester.
electron
An elementary particle present in all atoms in groupings called shells around the nucleus. When electrons are detached from the atom they are called free electrons.
electrovalent bond
A type of chemical bond formed by the transfer of one or more electrons from one atom to another, so that oppositely charged ions are produced. For example, the bond between the sodium and chlorine ...
localized bond
A chemical bond in which the electrons forming the bond remain between (or close to) the linked atoms. Compare delocalization.
molecule
One of the fundamental units forming a chemical compound; the smallest part of a chemical compound that can take part in a chemical reaction. In most covalent compounds, molecules consist of groups ...
periodic table
A table of the chemical elements arranged in order of atomic number, usually in rows, so that elements with similar atomic structure (and hence similar chemical properties) appear in vertical columns.
polar molecule
A molecule in which there is a polarized distribution of positive and negative charges due to an uneven distribution of electrons. Polar molecules are likely to be soluble in water.[...]
polarization
The phenomenon in which electromagnetic waves, such as light waves, vibrate in a preferred plane or planes; or the process of confining the vibrations to certain planes. In unpolarized light the ...
saturated compound
In organic chemistry, compounds in which carbon atoms bond to one another by single covalent bonds only, never by more reactive double or triple chemical bonds. For this reason, they ...
valency
A measure of the number of other ions in a chemical element that can be combined with a particular atom.
