#ions

I’ve had a very rough day today so this is gonna be very short!

Today I learned that when atoms become monoatomic anions(-), the root of the element’s name changes to “-ide”.

Chlorine > Chloride

Fluorine > Flouride

This is just to denote that it is negatively charged.

Cations(+) keep the same element name.

Chlorine > Chlorine Ion

Fluorine > Fluorine Ion

That is all for today! I’ll share a little bfdi animation I made a few days ago to compensate for such a short post.

Chemistry-powered 'breathing' membrane opens and closes tiny pores on its own

Ion channels are narrow passageways that play a pivotal role in many biological processes. To model how ions move through these tight spaces, pores need to be fabricated at very small length scales. The narrowest regions of ion channels can be just a few angstroms wide, about the size of individual atoms, making reproducible and precise fabrication a major challenge in modern nanotechnology. In a study published in Nature Communications, researchers at The University of Osaka have addressed this challenge by using a miniature electrochemical reactor to create ultra-small pores approaching subnanometer dimensions. In biological cells, ions flow in and out through channels in cell membranes. This ion flow is the basis for generating electrical signals, such as nerve impulses that trigger muscle contraction. The channels themselves are made of proteins and can have angstrom-wide narrow regions. Conformational changes of these proteins in response to external stimuli open and close the channels.

Lab experiments around the globe that are gearing up to recreate the mysterious phase of matter found in the early universe could also produce the world's strongest electromagnetic fields, according to a theoretical analysis by a RIKEN physicist and two colleagues. This unanticipated bonus could enable physicists to investigate entirely new phenomena.