What are Radicals ?
Define Radicals in 5 lines
Answers
In chemistry, a radical is an atom, molecule, or ion that has an unpaired valence electron.[1][2] With some exceptions, these unpaired electrons make radicals highly chemically reactive. Many radicals spontaneously dimerize. Most organic radicals have short lifetimes.
A notable example of a radical is the hydroxyl radical (HO•), a molecule that has one unpaired electron on the oxygen atom. Two other examples are triplet oxygen and triplet carbene (:CH
2) which have two unpaired electrons.
Radicals may be generated in a number of ways, but typical methods involve redox reactions. Ionizing radiation, heat, electrical discharges, and electrolysis are known to produce radicals. Radicals are intermediates in many chemical reactions, more so than is apparent from the balanced equations.
Answer:
A RADICAL IS AN ATOM OR A GROUP OF ATOMS OR DIFFERENT ELEMENTS THAT BEHAVE AS A SINGLE UNIT WITH A POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE CHARGE ON IT.
Explanation: