From: Algis Sodonis (asodonis@urbanschool.org)
Date: Thu Mar 10 2005 - 19:26:48 PST
Message-id: <fc.000f7611007f10f43b9aca004085be62.7f1148@urbanschool.org> Date: Thu, 10 Mar 2005 19:26:48 -0800 Subject: Re: pinhole atoms and ions From: "Algis Sodonis" <asodonis@urbanschool.org>
Mike,
I think the main point here is that "particle" is a more generic term that encompasses single atoms and larger assemblages of atoms, usually called molecules.
A charged single atom is an ion.
A charged molecule (such as H3O+ ) is also an ion. (This is called a hydronium ion, a water molecule that has accepted a positive charge, making it from a neutral atom to +1 ion.)
A bigger lesson, in my opinion, is that since all atoms are made up of charges, they all have the inherent ability to become an ion. You don't just add charges to make something an ion. You can remove a part of it, such as an electron, and a neutral atom can become a positive ion - a good lesson for middle school - subtracting a negative is the same result as adding a positive.
Algis Sodonis
The Urban School of SF
"Pinhole Listserv" <pinhole@exploratorium.edu> on Thursday, March 10, 2005 at 4:03 PM -0800 wrote:
>A student of mine found a bit of science minutia that he wanted
>clarification on (and I couldn't offer him the answer...). Our
>textbook says an ion is a "charged particle," rather than a charged
>atom. He concluded that an ion cannot be referred to as an atom. I
>said I thought an ion could be considered an atom, just an atom with a
>charge. It did get me curious about the true meaning of "atom." Is an
>ion an atom? Is this all just a bunch of fuss over a little
>terminology, or is there a concept out there that I'm missing...
>
>Mike Schulist
>Miller Creek Middle School
>
>
>
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