Affinity

Name:
Affinity
Detailed information:
The tendency of an atom or compound to react or combine with atoms or compounds of different chemical constitution. For example, paraffin hydrocarbons were so named because they are quite unreactive, the word paraffin meaning “very little affinity.” The hemoglobin molecule has a much greater affinity for carbon monoxide than for oxygen. The free energy decrease is a quantitative measure of chemical affinity.