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| a highly concentrated, aqueous solution of potassium hydroxide or sodium hydroxide, or any solution resulting from leaching or percolation |
| with all water removed, especially water of crystallization |
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
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| valence (ˈveɪləns) | |
| —n | |
| 1. | another name (esp US and Canadian) for valency |
| 2. | the phenomenon of forming chemical bonds |
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valence
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valence va·lence (vā'ləns) or va·len·cy (-lən-sē)
n.
The combining capacity of an atom or a radical determined by the number of electrons that it will lose, add, or share when it reacts with other atoms.
A positive or negative integer used to represent this capacity.
The number of components of an antigen molecule to which an antibody molecule can bind.
The attraction or aversion that an individual feels toward a specific object or event.
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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valence  (vā'ləns) Pronunciation Key
A whole number that represents the ability of an atom or a group of atoms to combine with other atoms or groups of atoms. The valence is determined by the number of electrons that an atom can lose, add, or share. An atom's valence is positive if its own electrons are used in forming the bond, or negative if another atom's electrons are used. For example, a carbon atom can share four of its electrons with other atoms and therefore has a valence of +4. A sodium atom can receive an electron from another atom and therefore has a valence of -1. (In this book the distinction between positive and negative valences is ignored unless it is relevant.) The valence of an atom generally indicates how many chemical bonds it is capable of forming with other atoms. Also called valence number, oxidation state. |
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A number characterizing an atom, equal to the number of valence electrons.
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Valence
town, capital of Drome departement, Rhone-Alpes region, southeastern France. Valence lies on the left bank of the Rhone River. Built on a succession of terraces bordering the Rhone, the town is dominated by the ancient Cathedral of Saint-Apollinaire, which was consecrated by Pope Urban II in 1095 and completed early in the 12th century. Damage done to the cathedral during the Wars of Religion (1569-98) was repaired in the 17th century. The Champ de Mars, a vast esplanade south of the cathedral, offers a fine view of the Rhone River valley. Valence probably became a bishopric in the 4th century and was ruled by its bishops until Louis XI in 1450 persuaded them to give up their temporal power in exchange for royal protection and a university (suppressed after the French Revolution).
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