Molecular structure
Molecular Structure
Molecular structure refers to the arrangement of atoms within a molecule. It is a key concept in the field of chemistry and molecular biology.
Pronunciation
Molecular Structure: /məˈlɛkjʊlər ˈstrʌktʃər/
Etymology
The term "molecular structure" is derived from the Latin "molecula" meaning "small mass" and the Latin "structura" meaning "a fitting together, building."
Description
The molecular structure of a compound can be represented in several ways. The Lewis structure is one of the simplest and most common methods. It uses lines to represent chemical bonds and dots to represent electrons. Other methods include the ball-and-stick model and the space-filling model.
The molecular structure determines the properties of a substance, including its reactivity, polarity, phase of matter, color, magnetism, and biological activity. The structure can be determined by a variety of experimental techniques, such as x-ray crystallography and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy.
Related Terms
- Chemical bond: The force that holds atoms together in a molecule.
- Covalent bond: A type of chemical bond where two atoms share a pair of electrons.
- Ionic bond: A type of chemical bond where one atom donates an electron to another.
- Molecular geometry: The three-dimensional arrangement of atoms in a molecule.
- Valence electron: An electron in the outermost shell of an atom that can participate in forming a chemical bond.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Molecular structure
- Wikipedia's article - Molecular structure
This WikiMD dictionary article is a stub. You can help make it a full article.
Languages: - East Asian
中文,
日本,
한국어,
South Asian
हिन्दी,
Urdu,
বাংলা,
తెలుగు,
தமிழ்,
ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian
Indonesian,
Vietnamese,
Thai,
မြန်မာဘာသာ,
European
español,
Deutsch,
français,
русский,
português do Brasil,
Italian,
polski