In order to understand the phenomenon of ionization It is first necessary to know what ions are. See the explanation below:
Every atom has the same number of protons and electrons; therefore, every atom is electrically neutral. In addition, substances formed by groups of atoms also have an electrical charge balance, being electrically neutral.
However, an atom or a group of atoms can lose or gain electrons; when this occurs, they lose their neutrality and become ions.
If the atom or group of atoms loses electrons, it becomes positively charged and is called an ion. cation. However, if it gains electrons, the charge will be negative and the ion will be a anion.
Inorganic substances are ionic or have the ability to form ions.
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One of the ways to form ions is by putting molecular substances in water, that is, formed by covalent bonds, in which there is sharing of electrons.
For example, if we test the electrical conduction of hydrochloric acid (HCl) in an aqueous solution (hydrogen chloride dissolved in water), we will see that the solution is electrolytic, that is, it conducts an electric current, because there are ions in that solution.
This means that water acted as a reactant, forming ions from hydrochloric acid. This occurs according to the reaction below:
Note that before you put the hydrogen chloride in the water, there were no ions. However, its molecules reacted with water and positive H3O+ ions (cations) and negative Cl- (anions) were formed. Since chlorine is more electronegative than hydrogen, it pulls the covalently bonded electron pair closer to it and forms the anion. Hydrogen, on the other hand, is attracted to the oxygen in the water, which is more electronegative than chlorine; and between hydrogen and oxygen a covalent bond is formed, originating the hydronium cation. This phenomenon of ion formation is called ionization.
Based on the above explanation, we can define ionization as follows:
Note that the ions did not exist before, because if they did, as in the case of the dissolution of ionic compounds, we would have an ionic dissociation and not an ionization.
All acids placed in contact with water undergo ionization. However, not every molecular compound undergoes ionization.For example, sugar (C12H22O11) is molecular, however, when placed in water, ions are not formed, it just dissolves, originating a non-electrolytic molecular solution, which does not conduct electricity.
By Jennifer Foga莽a
Graduated in Chemistry