Chem Blog Week 24

This week, we learned more about charges and how they work on a molecular basis. A positive charge is one with more positive ions than negative ions. A negative charge is the opposite. And now we know what a neutral charge is. A neutral charge is one with an equal number of positive and negative ions.

We were shown an experiment including a sweater and a balloon on the SMART Board. The sweater and the balloon initially didn't attract each other because they had neutral charges. But, that changed when the balloon was rubbed against the wall, it became more positive while the wall became negative. The negative ion moves. I then wondered why the negative ions were moved rather than the positive ions. Did it have to do with the greater electrostatic strength of positive ions than negative ions? Or was it because the opposite charges of positive ions and negative ions held each other in place? It seems as if though this is the case because I think that the positive ions are stronger than the negative ions. It seems as if though the negative ions have less strength because they have a greater number of electrons than the positive ions. The reason I think this is so is because I think that the less electrons there are, the less pressure is being put on the "electro-chain" that holds the electrons in place. So in summary the charge of positive ions is stronger than that of negative ions.   

This same principle also applies to ionic compounds, which form when ions transfer electrons to form neutral compounds. Through the exchange of electrons one of the elements become positive while the other one becomes negative. This is what happens when NaCl combine. The Na needed to lose an electron while the Cl needed to gain one. So, through this "electron exchange", the Na became positive and the Cl became negative. They then formed an ionic compound, which means a neutral compound.

In order to find element’s charge you look at the periodic table and based off what column that element is you will be able to know its charge. This brought back a memory freshmen year in honors biology when our teacher gave us a rhyme to help us remember the charge of elements: “+1, +2,+3,+4, (transitional metals) -3,-2,-1, no more!” With this, I am easily able to find charges for the elements.

This week went pretty well. I believe I understand the concepts we learned this week. I just need to practice with some of the equations with the elements. We were also given the assignment to make an electroscope for Monday. I’ve seen some videos on how to make one and it seems simple to make. But I need to further understand how it actually works.