solvated electron

A solvated electron is a free electron that exists within a liquid, typically water, surrounded and stabilized by the molecules around it. When certain substances are dissolved in water, they can release electrons that don’t attach to any particular atom but instead become stabilized by the water molecules enveloping them. This creates a unique, highly reactive form of electron in the solution, playing a key role in various chemical reactions, especially in processes like radiation chemistry and some types of redox reactions. Essentially, it's an electron "freed" into a liquid environment, kept in place by surrounding solvent molecules.