ScienceAugust 18, 2026

electropositive

ee-lek-truh-PAZ-uh-tiv

Definition

Describing an element that readily loses electrons to form positive ions, often making it chemically reactive in ways that differ from elements that prefer to share or gain electrons.

Etymology

Derived from the roots 'electro-' (referring to electricity) and 'positive' (referring to the lack of electrons/positive charge), combining to describe atoms that tend to donate electrons.

In the news

The article describes uranium as an electropositive metal, which explains why it does not typically form stable bonds with other metals under normal conditions.

Uranium complex smashes record for consecutive bonds between atoms

Read the full article ↗

Chemistry World

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