Word: Electron

Pronunciation

/ɪˈlek-trɒn/

Definitions

• Noun: A negatively charged subatomic particle that orbits the nucleus of an atom and is a fundamental constituent of matter. Electrons have a mass much smaller than that of a proton and carry a unit negative electric charge. They play a crucial role in chemical reactions and bonding due to their arrangement around the atomic nucleus.

Example sentence: The movement of electrons within a circuit generates an electrical current.

Phrases

• Electron cloud: A region around an atomic nucleus where an electron is most likely to be found, described by quantum mechanics.
• Electron microscope: A type of microscope that uses a beam of electrons to create an image, allowing for higher resolution than a light microscope.
• Electron transport chain: A series of protein complexes and other molecules in the mitochondria where electrons are transferred to generate ATP (adenosine triphosphate), the energy currency of the cell.

Example Sentences

• Noun: In chemistry class, we learned about the outermost shell of electrons, called the valence electrons.
• The electron’s dual wave-particle nature was first proposed by Louis de Broglie.
• An electron microscope can resolve details far too small to be seen with an optical microscope.

Synonyms

• Negatively charged particle
• Elementary particle
• Beta particle (in certain contexts)
• Lepton (in terms of particle classification)

Note: While electron does not have verb or adjective forms like the example provided for “hello,” it may appear in compound words or scientific terms functioning as different parts of speech (e.g., “electronically” as an adverb). However, its primary function and definition remain as a noun.