A Silver Ion Becomes an Atom Again

Looking at Ions

We've talked nigh ions before. At present it'due south time to get down to basics. The atomic number of an element, besides chosen a proton number, tells yous the number of protons or positive particles in an cantlet. A normal cantlet has a neutral accuse with equal numbers of positive and negative particles. That means an atom with a neutral charge is one where the number of electrons is equal to the atomic number. Ions are atoms with extra electrons or missing electrons. When y'all are missing an electron or two, you have a positive charge. When y'all have an extra electron or two, you lot have a negative charge.

What do you do if y'all are a sodium (Na) atom? Yous accept xi electrons — one also many to have an unabridged beat out filled. You need to discover another element that will take that electron away from you lot. When y'all lose that electron, y'all will you'll take total shells. Whenever an atom has total shells, we say information technology is "happy." Allow'south expect at chlorine (Cl). Chlorine has seventeen electrons and simply needs one more to fill its third vanquish and be "happy." Chlorine will take your extra sodium electron and go out you with 10 electrons inside of two filled shells. Yous are at present a happy atom too. You are also an ion and missing one electron. That missing electron gives you a positive charge. Yous are nevertheless the chemical element sodium, but yous are at present a sodium ion (Na⁺). You have 1 less electron than your atomic number.

Ion Characteristics

And so now you've become a sodium ion. You have ten electrons. That's the same number of electrons as neon (Ne). But you aren't neon. Since you lot're missing an electron, you aren't really a complete sodium cantlet either. As an ion y'all are now something completely new. Your whole goal as an atom was to become a "happy atom" with completely filled electron shells. Now you take those filled shells. You lot have a lower energy. You lost an electron and you are "happy." And so what makes you interesting to other atoms? Now that yous have given upward the electron, you are quite electrically bonny. Other electrically charged atoms (ions) of the contrary charge (negative) are now looking at you lot and seeing a good partner to bond with. That's where the chlorine comes in. It's non only chlorine. About any ion with a negative accuse volition be interested in bonding with you.

Electrovalence

Don't get worried about the big word. Electrovalence is just another discussion for something that has given up or taken electrons and become an ion. If you look at the periodic tabular array, you lot might detect that elements on the left side usually go positively charged ions (cations) and elements on the correct side get a negative charge (anions). That trend means that the left side has a positive valence and the right side has a negative valence. Valence is a measure of how much an atom wants to bail with other atoms. Information technology is besides a measure of how many electrons are excited about bonding with other atoms.

There are two master types of bonding, covalent and electrovalent. You may have heard of the term "ionic bonds." Ionic bonds are electrovalent bonds. They are just groups of charged ions held together by electrical forces. Scientists call these groups "ionic agglomerates." When in the presence of other ions, the electrovalent bonds are weaker because of exterior electrical forces and attractions. Sodium and chlorine ions alone take a very strong bail, only as soon as yous put those ions in a solution with H⁺, OH^-, F^- or Mg⁺⁺ ions, in that location are charged distractions that break the Na-Cl bond.

Look at sodium chloride (NaCl) i more time. Salt is a very strong bond when it is sitting on your table. It would be almost impossible to break those ionic/electrovalent bonds. Yet, if yous put that common salt into some water (H₂O), the bonds break very quickly. It happens easily because of the electric attraction of the water. Now you accept sodium (Na⁺) and chlorine (Cl^-) ions floating effectually the solution. You lot should recollect that ionic bonds are ordinarily strong, only they are very weak in water.

Related Video...

Adjacent Ion Propulsion System (NASA Video)

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Encyclopædia Britannica: Ions
Wikipedia: Ions
Encyclopedia.com: Ions

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Source: http://www.chem4kids.com/files/atom_ions.html

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