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JAINA PHILOSOPHY : AN INTRODUCTION
1. By division or dissociation (bheda). 2. By union or association (sanghāta). 3. By the united process of dissociation and association
taking place simultaneously. 1. Dissociation occurs on account of two causes, viz., internal
and external.' The former cause is in the molecules themselves as the phenomenon of radio-activity and the like. The examples of the latter cause are the dissociation of molecules in solution, the breaking under high temperatures, the breaking under high pressures, the
breaking under artificial bombardment and the like. 2. Association is defined as the union of separate entities.?
The assemblage of atoms to form molecules is an
instance of association. 3. The united process of dissociation and association is defined
as follows : By simultaneous dissociation and association, molecules occupying two spatial particles etc. are produced. Just when one molecule breaks, the remaining part is associated by another molecule.
Advanced researches in physical chemistry have also revealed three processes of molecule-formation. The following lines will clarify the point :
The question to be answered is, in what ways are atoms united in the molecule ? The electronic theory of valency is able to supply a very satisfactory answer. According to this theory, there are three methods of linking atoms. The linkage may be electrovalent, co-valent or co-ordinate.
Molecules with an electrovalent linkage are ionised even in the solid state, X-ray analysis of the crystal indicating that the elementary particles making up the crystal lattice are ions and not atoms or molecules. Nearly all inorganic salts are electrovalent compounds. 1. Sarvārtha-siddhi, V.26. 2. Ibid. 3. Ibid.
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