cation
1
7.6
- noun
- /ˈkætaɪən/
- Specialized
:
cation
- A dozen soil properties were measured (e.g., pH, total nitrogen, cation exchange capacity) which demonstrated a series of beneficial effects.
- cation exchange
- cation-exchange capacity
- divalent cation
Examples
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The end result is that cation nutrients are leached away and lost from the system.
Academic text (1994) -
Because of their colloidal nature and negative surface charge, clays absorb water and metallic cations.
Academic text (1994) -
And that charge is going to be balanced by a cation, say sodium or calcium.
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Because you've got a polar structure, the cations are in an asymmetric potential well.
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The system can simultaneously analyze inorganic and organic ions or cations in six minutes or less.
Academic text (1997) -
Magnesium is the dominant cation, accounting for approximately 35% of the composition of Dead Sea salts.
Academic text (2005) -
The electrostatic force, for example, weakens when the concentration of cations increases.
Academic text (2002) -
Samples were analyzed for carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, ash, pH, cation exchange capacity, and metals.
Academic text (1998) -
When added to soils, compost adds organic bulk, increased earthworm populations, humus, and cation exchange capacity.
Academic text (1995) -
In chemistry, a cation is formed when an atom loses one or more electrons.
Antonyms
Compounds
- Specialized
A man-made material that removes positively charged particles from liquids to purify them
Surface Forms
Etymology
The word cation comes from the Greek root kata meaning 'down', as in catacomb, which is an underground tomb. Early scientists gave this name because positive ions moved 'down' toward the negative plate in old electrical experiments, so a cation is a positively charged ion.