Questions tagged [ions]
For questions about ions - atomic or molecular particles having a net electric charge. Do NOT use this tag just because your question involves ions but is not about the ions themselves (as in electrochemistry, etc.).
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Comparison of the electronegativity of halogens and the reduction potential of halide ions
While studying the electrolysis of aqueous solutions, we often have to deal with more than one ion at the anode and cathode, and we have to determine which one will discharge. For example, if we have ...
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Aminium/Ammonium?
Chemdraw names this as 2-carboxyethan-1-aminium. Shouldn't it be ammonium? What's an aminium ion?
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Volume of Ion Particle (Ca2+ and OH-)
After doing some research, I realized that ion size is commonly characterized by its ionic radius and not the ionic volume. Then, what about the volume of the ion particle?
We know that ions tend to ...
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Why do samples of ionic compounds break into pieces, but the pieces do not combine into larger samples again?
A distinct property of ionic compounds is that they are brittle. We are taught this is due to the fact that when force is applied to the lattice, ions are shifted, resulting in positive ions repelling ...
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Why does the oxygen in NaOH (sodium hydroxide) acquire an electron from the sodium if it's going to become unstable and give away the electron? [closed]
Mind you that the oxygen is already stable, having an even number of electrons and protons? Is the oxygen really neutral when it has an even number of electrons and protons?
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Which part of a soap molecule is the hydrophilic part? [closed]
Is the hydrophilic part of the soap both the cation ($\ce{Na+/K+}$), just the $\ce{COO-}$, or both of those sections together like the picture shown below? Do the cation and the anion dissociate from ...
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Can acids contain OH-? [closed]
Given that a solution contains $\ce{OH-}$ ions can we sufficiently determine the substance is a base? From my understanding, an acid may still contain $\ce{OH-}$ ions. However, the concentration of $\...
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In a flame test, what is being excited? [duplicate]
I have done a flame test with $\ce{NaCl}$ and got the yellow characteristic flame of sodium. I am trying to understand exactly how this yellow color is being produced and when I searched for it, I got ...
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Lewis Structure of the Guanidinium Ion
In a problem, I was asked to find the Lewis structure of the guanidinium ion $\ce{C(NH2)3}^{+1}$. I followed the following steps which led me to an incorrect structure and I was hoping someone could ...
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Brittle Properties of Ionic Compounds? [closed]
From my understanding, ionic compounds are brittle due to the alternating cations and anions within their lattice. Hence when stress is applied, similarly charged ions will repel causing the structure ...
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Why do we have to prevent the hydrolysis of iron(III) nitrate?
I want to make particular concentration of ferric ions from $\ce{Fe(NO3)3.9H2O}$, and then I found this video
It says that we have to add nitric acid to prevent iron from hydrolysis, what does it mean?...
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Can electrical conductivity be measured by colorimetric or photospectrometrical method?
I would like to measure electrolyte leakage from plant material after exposure to stress. Stress damages cell membrane integrity, resulting in efflux of intracellular components to the surrounding ...
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Can you infer toxicity of an ionic compound based on the toxicity of its ions in other configurations?
Suppose I have two ionic compounds: "NaY" and "XCl". If these were both 'safe' to eat, would it be true that ...
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How does O2- have the largest radius [closed]
Why is the correct option O^2-, aren't all of them equal since they all have the same number of energy shells and same number of electrons in them
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Why ionic radius increases with negative charge?
Here's my understanding:
An ion with a negative charge has gained electrons. Hence the negative charge.
With a greater negative charge, there should be more attraction towards the positive charge.
As ...
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Number of neutrons in a chemical question?
Consider the equation $\ce{H2 + H2+ -> H + H3+}$
What is the atomic structure of the $H_3^+$ ion? I understand that the H$_3^+$ ion contains 3 protons and 2 electrons. However, how many neutrons ...
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How are polyatomic ions formed? [closed]
I know that there should be a covalent bond between polyatomic ions, such as $\ce{SO4^2-}$. But what causes it to suddenly gain electrons and become an ion?
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Lattice energy as a factor that helps determine which charge the atoms take on?
I do not quite understand the following line of reasoning:
Why does Na not form $\ce{Na^{2+}}$ ions? To obtain $\ce{Na^{2+}}$ ions, the first and second ionization energy must be applied: 496 + 4563 ...
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Why does the same electron transition release photons of different frequencies for some elements?
Question: For elements in the same period with different numbers of valance electrons, why does the same electron transition release photons of different frequencies?
Example: For valance electrons ...
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Most stable monoatomic ion of nitrogen [closed]
I often see that the most stable monoatomic ion of nitrogen is N$^{3-}$ (for example on Khan Academy), and I remember being taught something similar, along the lines of atoms wanting complete octets.
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Is lead iodide a strong electrolyte?
So, lead iodide is insoluble. I see conflicting answers online. Some say it's a weak electrolyte because it is insoluble, others say it is a strong electrolyte because it is an ionic compound and any ...
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Does the MS oxygen peak at m/z = 16 correspond to $\ce{O+}$ or $\ce{O2^{2+}}$?
In a mass spectrum, while annealing with $\ce{O2}$ of a sample in UHV, I observe peaks at $m/z = 16$ and $32 (= 16 \times 2)$. While the latter is $\ce{O2^+}$, I'm unsure what the peak at $m/z = 16$ ...
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Do polyatomic ions have oxidation numbers?
In a polyatomic ion, the sum of the oxidation numbers of all atoms is equal to the overall charge on the ion. However, does this polyatomic ion have an overall oxidation number?
We also know that the ...
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Can ions be acids or bases?
Consider a sulfate ion, its considered a weak base. Yet I thought bases and acids were compounds meaning they were always electrically neutral? Why is a sulfate ion then considered a base? And how ...
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Can two cations bond?
I want to know if you forced two cations together (maybe by heating it up in a plasma or something) would they bond and share atoms like in a covalent bond? What’s more, instead of taking just the ...
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Do ion-exchange membranes *always* require ions to pass in both directions?
In an answer to this question, it was asserted that:
Student always tend to forget that a solution must remain electrically neutral by all means. If you want a certain ion to leave water, you must ...
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Is there a material that ions can pass through but water can’t?
I was wondering whether there is a material that can pass ions (such as the ions existing in seawater) but not water. I am aware that water molecules are smaller, so they can pass through some ...
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Why is desalination waste usually disposed back into the sea instead of converting it into chemical products?
I was reading about the desalination processes such as reverse osmosis and capacitive deionization and their alternatives. They all work on removing ions from water and disposing them back to sea/...
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Why is it wrong to draw the Lewis structure of a molecule's atoms and then figure out the Lewis structure of that molecule
When drawing for example the Lewis structure of nitrate ion (NO3)^-1 whould it be wrong to draw nitrogen and oxygen separately and then try to figure out the structure of the ion? In that case does ...
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Why is ammonium ion net positively charged? [closed]
I know that this might look a very dumb question but I have been spent my days to think about it and couldn't understand and finally decided to ask.
Consider Sharing of electrons to form covalent or ...
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Will an electrolyte eventually stop conducting electricity? And if so, gradually over time or suddenly?
I understand that an electrolyte does not conduct electrons, but rather that the positive and negative dissolved ions are attracted by electric charge to the cathode and anode where they receive and ...
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Dominance of electronic factors in cupric ion
I know that Cu+ ( cuprous ) ion is less stable than Cu²+ ( cupric ) ion . There are some reasons explaining this by high hydration enthalpies and low ionization enthalpies . Even though , these ...
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Can uv light cause heterolytic cleavage?
All sources I've read stated that UV-light can only cause homolytic cleavage (homolytic fission), producing radicals while not mentioning whether it was possible for it to cause heterolytic cleavage ...
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Why are hydrated lithium ions' radii larger than hydrated sodium ions' radii?
Why are hydrated lithium ions' radii larger than hydrated sodium ions' radii i.e. $r_\ce{Li+(aq)}>r_\ce{Na+(aq)}$?
If ionic radii increase down the group i.e. $r_\ce{Li+}<r_\ce{Na+}<r_\ce{K+}$...
user119959
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How do the assumptions of the Nernst equation impact its accuracy?
I was just wondering what impact the assumption that the equilibrium membrane potential for an ion is dependent on just the ion itself (if it is the only thing that is permeable). For instance, if I ...
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Which ion has a greater paramagnetic property?
I just recently began studying the Molecular Orbital Theory in Chemistry and I just learnt about the paramagnetic and diamagnetic nature of molecules based on their unfilled and filled orbitals. Now ...
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Do Ions with less stability have less energy of ionization than those who are stable?
Problem. I've come up with the strange example of the third energy of ionization of both $\pu{Mg}$ and $\pu{Al}$, the standard logic that is to be applied on any problem of "which element has ...
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Why are protons more common than hydride ion?
I'm a high school student. I noticed $\ce{H+}$ ion is commonly present in my books while I didn't find any presence of $\ce{H-}$ ions in my books. However, I found on internet that $\ce{H-}$ also ...
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Find the ion with mass number 37 if the ion contains 11.1% more neutrons than the electrons
An ion with mass number 37 possesses one unit of negative charge. The ion contains 11.1% more neutrons than the electrons in its nucleus. An ion with a mass of 37 has % negative charge compared to % ...
user100905
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Thickness of proton exchange membrane (Nafion)?
I am looking into using a proton exchange membrane for a bio-energy cell experiment. Previous scholars have been using Nafion as a PEM to place between the anode and cathode (air-cathode). the ...
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Why does acetate ion react with water? [closed]
When NaCl is added to water, it dissociates into $\rm{Na^+}$ and $\rm{Cl^-}$. The newly formed $\rm{Na^+}$ and $\rm{Cl^-}$ do not react with water.
When $\rm{CH_3COONa}$ (sodium acetate) is added to ...
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How does the membrane potential change so drastically during an action potential?
I understand that the Nernst potentials
$$V = \frac{k_\mathrm{B}T}{e} \ln\left(\frac{c_\mathrm{out}}{c_\mathrm{in}}\right)$$
for all ions inside and outside a cell barely change when an action ...
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How does the surface to volume ratio of ions and their distribution in solution compare to that of suspended nanoparticles in nanofluids?
I am interested in understanding the heat transfer capabilities of fluids.
Nano-fluids are suspensions of nanoparticles (1-100nm sized particles) in a base fluid, often water, oil or glycol. These ...
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A contradiction in the nucleophilic attack of hydride ion based on charge densities
On page 130 of Organic Chemistry by Clayden, it is stated that
Nucleophilic attack by the hydride ion, $\ce{H-}$, is an almost unknown reaction. This species, which is present in the salt sodium ...
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Which is more electronegative, Anions or Cations? [closed]
Electronegativity is the tendency of atoms in covalent bonds to attract electrons closer to themselves (I'll admit I realised ions do not form covalent bonds only after I finished writing).
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Do hydrides, like NaH or CsH, also form H-bond? [closed]
I know that when hydrogen acts as a cation, it can form H-bonds with the electronegative ions or groups. But, is this also true for anionic hydrogens? Will they form similar bonds, other than the ...
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Why does water weaken ion ion attractions?
My lecturer has told me that water, having a high dielectric value, will "shield" ions and reduce ion-ion attractions.
I really don't see why. Having water molecules surround these two ions ...
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Confusion regarding $\delta$ charge compared with electronegativity
I heard on a lecture of an online site that, let us say, we have two orbitals (1 and 2). Now, it will be like a spherical cloud. Now, what they say is that
Now, we can notice that for orbital number ...
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Why doesn't base/acid reacting with water create a salt?
An acid/base nwutralization will create a salt + water. If one uses water itself as the acid or base, and have an acid/base neutralization, how come that doesn't create a salt?
For example:$$ \ce{HCN(...
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Why flame testing different ions give different colors? [closed]
In my textbook, there was an experiment that described how to flame test different ions and I was just curious why they give off different colors. My knowledge is very basic being just a high school-...
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