| Library / English Dictionary |
OPEN CHAIN
| Pronunciation (US): |  | (GB): | |
I. (noun)
Sense 1
Meaning:
A chain of atoms in a molecule whose ends are not joined to form a ring
Classified under:
Nouns denoting natural objects (not man-made)
Hypernyms ("open chain" is a kind of...):
chain; chemical chain ((chemistry) a series of linked atoms (generally in an organic molecule))
Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "open chain"):
branched chain (an open chain of atoms with one or more side chains attached to it)
straight chain (an open chain of atoms with no side chains)
Antonym:
closed chain ((chemistry) a chain of atoms in a molecule that forms a closed loop)
