Microemulsion: A clear solution of liquid water, oil, and surfactant
without phase separation of hydrophobic and hydrophilic entities.
Molecular orbital (MO): Mathematical function that describes the
wavelike behavior of electrons in a molecule.
Molecular polarizability: The degree of electron density distortion due
to an electric field.
Molecularity: The number of molecules involved in an elementary step.
A unimolecular step involves a single molecule, a bimolecular
step involves two molecules colliding, and so on.
Multipoles: Distributions of two or more charges that can be represented
as functions. Dipoles (two charges) are the simplest type of
multipole; more complex multipoles include quadrupoles and
octupoles.
Nanoframeworks: Three-dimensional nanomaterials that consist of
repeating arrays of nanoscale pores separated by walls. Nanoframeworks can be organic, inorganic, or organometallic (metalorganic frameworks, or MOFs).
Nanoparticles: Spherical particles made up of hundreds or thousands of
atoms.
Nanoscience: Nanoscience is study of systems with components on the
scale of a billionth of a meter, including large molecules (macromolecules), assemblies of molecules, molecules confined to
within small regions of space, solid materials with small structural
features, or combinations of any or all of these systems.
Nanotechnology: The application of nanoscience toward developing
new technologies via engineering or manipulation of functional
systems at the molecular scale.
Nanowire: A nanostructure that has a diameter on the scale of a nanometer (10−9 m) and an unrestricted length.
Nanolithography: Refers to a wide variety of nanoscale surface manufacturing techniques for creating patterned surfaces, such as those
found in semiconductor circuits.
Nodal planes: Planes where the probability density of a quantum system
is zero.
Node: A point where the probability density of a quantum system is zero.
448
Glossary
without phase separation of hydrophobic and hydrophilic entities.
Molecular orbital (MO): Mathematical function that describes the
wavelike behavior of electrons in a molecule.
Molecular polarizability: The degree of electron density distortion due
to an electric field.
Molecularity: The number of molecules involved in an elementary step.
A unimolecular step involves a single molecule, a bimolecular
step involves two molecules colliding, and so on.
Multipoles: Distributions of two or more charges that can be represented
as functions. Dipoles (two charges) are the simplest type of
multipole; more complex multipoles include quadrupoles and
octupoles.
Nanoframeworks: Three-dimensional nanomaterials that consist of
repeating arrays of nanoscale pores separated by walls. Nanoframeworks can be organic, inorganic, or organometallic (metalorganic frameworks, or MOFs).
Nanoparticles: Spherical particles made up of hundreds or thousands of
atoms.
Nanoscience: Nanoscience is study of systems with components on the
scale of a billionth of a meter, including large molecules (macromolecules), assemblies of molecules, molecules confined to
within small regions of space, solid materials with small structural
features, or combinations of any or all of these systems.
Nanotechnology: The application of nanoscience toward developing
new technologies via engineering or manipulation of functional
systems at the molecular scale.
Nanowire: A nanostructure that has a diameter on the scale of a nanometer (10−9 m) and an unrestricted length.
Nanolithography: Refers to a wide variety of nanoscale surface manufacturing techniques for creating patterned surfaces, such as those
found in semiconductor circuits.
Nodal planes: Planes where the probability density of a quantum system
is zero.
Node: A point where the probability density of a quantum system is zero.
448
Glossary