Definitions for: Equivalent


[n] the atomic weight of an element that has the same combining capacity as a given weight of another element; the standard is 8 for oxygen
[n] a person or thing equal to another in value or measure or force or effect or significance etc; "send two dollars or the equivalent in stamps"
[adj] essentially equal; "women are paid less than men doing equivalent work"
[adj] equal in amount or value; "like amounts"; "equivalent amounts"; "the same amount"; "gave one six blows and the other a like number"; "an equal number"; "the same number"



Webster (1913) Definition: E*quiv"a*lent, a. [L. aequivalens, -entis, p. pr.
of aequivalere to have equal power; aequus equal + valere to
be strong, be worth: cf. F. ['e]quivalent. See Equal, and
Valiant.]
1. Equal in wortir or value, force, power, effect, import,
and the like; alike in significance and value; of the same
import or meaning.

For now to serve and to minister, servile and
ministerial, are terms equivalent. --South.

2. (Geom.) Equal in measure but not admitting of
superposition; -- applied to magnitudes; as, a square may
be equivalent to a triangle.



3. (Geol.) Contemporaneous in origin; as, the equivalent
strata of different countries.


E*quiv"a*lent, n.
1. Something equivalent; that which is equal in value, worth,
weight, or force; as, to offer an equivalent for damage
done.

He owned that, if the Test Act were repealed, the
Protestants were entitled to some equivalent. . . .
During some weeks the word equivalent, then lately
imported from France, was in the mouths of all the
coffeehouse. --Macaulay.

2. (Chem.) That comparative quantity by weight of an element
which possesses the same chemical value as other elements,
as determined by actual experiment and reference to the
same standard. Specifically:
(a) The comparative proportions by which one element
replaces another in any particular compound; thus, as
zinc replaces hydrogen in hydrochloric acid, their
equivalents are 32.5 and 1.
(b) The combining proportion by weight of a substance, or
the number expressing this proportion, in any
particular compound; as, the equivalents of hydrogen
and oxygen in water are respectively 1 and 8, and in
hydric dioxide 1 and 16.



Note: This term was adopted by Wollaston to avoid using the
conjectural expression atomic weight, with which,
however, for a time it was practically synonymous. The
attempt to limit the term to the meaning of a
universally comparative combining weight failed,
because of the possibility of several compounds of the
substances by reason of the variation in combining
power which most elements exhibit. The equivalent was
really identical with, or a multiple of submultiple of,
the atomic weight.

3. (Chem.) A combining unit, whether an atom, a radical, or a
molecule; as, in acid salt two or more equivalents of acid
unite with one or more equivalents of base.

Mechanical equivalent of heat (Physics), the number of
units of work which the unit of heat can perform; the
mechanical energy which must be expended to raise the
temperature of a unit weight of water from 0[deg] C. to
1[deg] C., or from 32[deg] F. to 33[deg] F. The term was
introduced by Dr. Mayer of Heilbronn. Its value was found
by Joule to be 1390 foot pounds upon the Centigrade, or
772 foot pounds upon the Fahrenheit, thermometric scale,
whence it is often called Joule's equivalent, and
represented by the symbol J. This is equal to 424 kilogram
meters (Centigrade scale). A more recent determination by
Professor Rowland gives the value 426.9 kilogram meters,
for the latitude of Baltimore.


E*quiv"a*lent, v. t.
To make the equivalent to; to equal; equivalence. [R.]

Synonyms: combining weight, eq, equal, equivalent weight, like, same

Antonyms: unequal, unlike

See Also: atomic weight, cognition, counterpart, knowledge, noesis, opposite number, relative atomic mass, replacement, substitute, vis-a-vis

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