Are the Na ions and Cl ions in the NaCl solution separated or combined?

TonyYuan

TonyYuan

Gravitational Fields and Gravitational Waves
Registered Senior Member
Are the Na ions and Cl ions in the NaCl solution separated or combined?

If an electric field is applied to the solution, can Na ions and Cl ions be dispersed to both ends of the electric field?
 
TonyYuan said:
Are the Na ions and Cl ions in the NaCl solution separated or combined?

If an electric field is applied to the solution, can Na ions and Cl ions be dispersed to both ends of the electric field?
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Separate. In solution, the ions are surrounded by a solvation shell (hydration shell in aqueous solution) of polar solvent molecules, oriented to counter the charge on the ion and thereby diffuse the net charge over a larger volume, lowering the overall potential energy. If an electric field is applied, the solvated ions will tend to migrate towards the oppositely charged electrode, where they will be neutralised. This is the basis of electrolysis)

Obviously, however, the bulk solution is only very slightly polarised by this, since the electric field required to separate all the charges entirely, against their mutual attraction, would be gigantic.
 
exchemist said:
Separate. In solution, the ions are surrounded by a solvation shell (hydration shell in aqueous solution) of polar solvent molecules, oriented to counter the charge on the ion and thereby diffuse the net charge over a larger volume, lowering the overall potential energy. If an electric field is applied, the solvated ions will tend to migrate towards the oppositely charged electrode, where they will be neutralised. This is the basis of electrolysis)
Obviously, however, the bulk solution is only very slightly polarised by this, since the electric field required to separate all the charges entirely, against their mutual attraction, would be gigantic.
Click to expand...
The chemical properties of Na ions are more stable than Na atoms. Na atoms can exist in the form of metals, so can Na ions exist independently? A substance composed of only Na ions.
 
TonyYuan said:
The chemical properties of Na ions are more stable than Na atoms. Na atoms can exist in the form of metals, so can Na ions exist independently? A substance composed of only Na ions.
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Never 'only Na ions' but close enough. Just heat a sample of Na in an evacuated chamber to a temperature sufficient to produce an ionized Na gas. An electric curremt is the usual means to achieve it. The still ubiquitous 'golden glow' high-pressure Sodium vapor lamps lighting up streets and freeways at night are a common example.
https://edisontechcenter.org/SodiumLamps.html
Gradually being replaced by LED solid-state lights with a whiter spectrum.
 
TonyYuan said:
The chemical properties of Na ions are more stable than Na atoms. Na atoms can exist in the form of metals, so can Na ions exist independently? A substance composed of only Na ions.
Click to expand...
Actually, Na metal itself is composed of "only Na ions", surrounded by delocalised valence shell electrons. The defining feature of a metallic chemical structure is that it has +ve ions in an array, with delocalised electrons forming the bonding.

Na metal is thus not, in fact, composed of neutral Na atoms.

This is in contrast to, say diamond, in which there are indeed neutral carbon atoms, each bonded to 4 neighbours by 2-centre, 2-electron covalent bonds.
 
What kind of ion do we generally use as the "fuel" of the ion engine? How is this ionic "fuel" produced?
 
TonyYuan said:
WHY?
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What would happen to a waiting queue of cars, when the lights turned green?

P.S. This is now a discussion about engineering not chemistry. If you want to pursue this further, it needs a new thread in the appropriate section.
 
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exchemist said:
What would happen to a waiting queue of cars, when the lights turned green?

P.S. This is now a discussion about engineering not chemistry. If you want to pursue this further, it needs a new thread in the appropriate section.
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You mean there aren't enough ions to produce enough horsepower output?
 
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