Meaning & use
valences
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Plural of valence: measures of the combining power of an atom, based on the number of bonds it can form with other atoms.
See it in a sentence
Carbon has a valence of four, allowing it to form complex molecules.
The chemist compared the valences of different elements on the periodic table.
A note on using this word
Also used figuratively in psychology to describe the emotional "pull," positive or negative, of a stimulus.
Another way to use it
2. noun
The degrees of attractiveness or aversiveness of events, objects, or situations (psychology)
Researchers measured the emotional valences of the images shown to participants.
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