SS1 Chemistry Lesson Note on Ions and Radicals

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IONS AND RADICALS

DEFINITION:

An ion is any atom or group of atoms which possess an electric charge.

Some substances are not built of atoms or molecules but are made up of charged particles called ions. Ions are formed when an atom losses or gains electron.

There are two types of ions. The positively charged ions or cations e.g. K⁺, Ca²⁺, Zn^2+, Al^3+, etc. are formed when atoms loss electrons and negatively charged ions or anions which are formed when atom gain electrons e.g. Cl^–, N^3-, O^2-, S^2- etc.

RADICALS: These are groups of atoms of different elements that come together and react as a unit. These radicals are charged, that is, they either carry a positive or a negative charge. An acid radical is thus a small group or cluster of atoms carrying a negative charge that keeps its identity. These groups of atoms originate from the acids which have formed the salts. For examples

Radical	Symbol	Valency	Oxidation No
Ammonium ion	NH4+	1	+1
Hydroxyl ion	OH–	1	-1
Trioxocarbonate (iv)	CO32-	2	-2
Tetraoxosulphate(vi)	SO42-	2	-2
Trioxonitrate(v)	NO3–	1	-1

 

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