Glossary

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unit: A particular measure of a physical quantity that is used to express the magnitude of the physical quantity; for example, the meterThe SI unit for distance or length. is the unitA particular measure of a physical quantity that is used to express the magnitude of the physical quantity; for example, the meter is the unit of the physical quantity, length. of the physical quantity, length.

Term of the Day

An estimate of the size of an ionAn atom or covalently bonded set of atoms that carries an overall net charge. in an ionic compoundA compound containing oppositely charged ions held together by electrostatic attraction. Usually the ions are in a crystal lattice with positive ions surrounded by negative ions and negative ions surrounded by positive ions.; found from the internuclear distanceThe distance between the nuclei of nearest-neighbor atoms or ions in an element or compound. Bond distances and ionic radii are calculated from this quantity because atoms have no discrete edges. between ions in a crystal latticeAn orderly, repeating arrangement of points in 3-D space in which each p;oint has surroundings identical to every other point. A crystal's constituent atoms, molecules, and ions are arranged about each lattice point..