WordGarden.iomonovalent
C2Pronunciation
UK
US
- /ˌmɑnəˈveɪlənt/
Meanings
Adjective
having one binding site or targeting a single antigen, strain, or variant, especially in biology or medicine
having valence one or able to combine with one atom or group
Beyond the definition
Imagine LEGO bricks. Some can connect at only one point. In chemistry, "monovalent" describes an atom, ion, or group with a valency of one. In simple terms, it can make one bond or carries a single charge, such as +1 or -1. Hydrogen, sodium, potassium, and chloride are common examples in basic chemistry. You will often see this word when people talk about ions, simple compounds, and bonding. It also appears in medicine, where it describes a vaccine made to protect against one specific strain or one kind of antigen.
The word "monovalent" comes from "mono-" meaning one, and "valent" relating to combining power or bonding ability. It is used mainly in chemistry for an atom, ion, or group that has a valency of one.
Valency is the number of bonds an atom can form, or the combining capacity it shows in a compound. A monovalent species has a valency of one. In many common cases, this goes together with a single positive (+1) or negative (-1) charge, which is why the term often appears in lessons about ions and ionic compounds. Hydrogen is commonly treated as monovalent, and so are ions such as sodium (), potassium (), and chloride (). This idea helps explain formulas such as , where the charges balance in a simple one-to-one way.
Beyond the laboratory, the term also matters in biology and medicine. In immunology, "monovalent" can describe a vaccine, antiserum, or antibody preparation that is aimed at just one specific strain, target, or antigen. For example, a monovalent vaccine is made for one version of a virus rather than several at once. So whether you are talking about chemical bonding or a medical product, the central idea stays the same: one bond, one charge, or one target.
Examples
- 1
Chemistry
Lithium and sodium are both monovalent metals.
- 2
Antibody research
In the experiment, the researchers used a monovalent antibody to avoid cross-linking.
- Domain
in biology, monovalent can describe something designed to bind in only one way
- 3
Vaccine type
The updated vaccine is monovalent, so it protects against one specific strain.
- Domain
a monovalent vaccine targets one strain or type
See also
Forms and spellings
1 form open this card.
Main spelling
- monovalentadjective