Term: electron attachment https://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.E01979 Definition: The transfer of an electron to a molecular entity, resulting in a molecular entity of (algebraically) increased negative charge. It is not an attachment. E01979.png Related Terms: 1) oxidation (def. 1) (http://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.O04362). 2) reduction (http://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.R05222). 3) molecular entity (http://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.M03986). 4) attachment (http://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.A00512). Image: Not defined (https://goldbook.iupac.org/img/inline/E01979.png) Source: PAC, 1991, 63, 1541. 'Recommendations for nomenclature and symbolism for mass spectroscopy (including an appendix of terms used in vacuum technology). (Recommendations 1991)' on page 1547 (https://doi.org/10.1351/pac199163101541) Citation: 'electron attachment' in IUPAC Compendium of Chemical Terminology, 5th ed. International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry; 2025. Online version 5.0.0, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.E01979 License: The IUPAC Gold Book is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike CC BY-SA 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) for individual terms. Disclaimer: The International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) is continuously reviewing and, where needed, updating terms in the Compendium of Chemical Terminology (the IUPAC Gold Book). Users of these terms are encouraged to include the version of a term with its use and to check regularly for updates to term definitions that you are using.