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Atoms can attach to one or more other atoms by chemical bonds to form chemical compounds such as molecules or crystals. The ability of atoms to attach and detach from each other is responsible for most of the physical changes observed in nature. Chemistry is the science that studies these changes.
Molecular models may be created for several reasons – as pedagogic tools for students or those unfamiliar with atomistic structures; as objects to generate or test theories (e.g., the structure of DNA); as analogue computers (e.g., for measuring distances and angles in flexible systems); or as aesthetically pleasing objects on the boundary of ...
Also acid ionization constant or acidity constant. A quantitative measure of the strength of an acid in solution expressed as an equilibrium constant for a chemical dissociation reaction in the context of acid-base reactions. It is often given as its base-10 cologarithm, p K a. acid–base extraction A chemical reaction in which chemical species are separated from other acids and bases. acid ...
The graphics and sound effects resemble those of early video games. "This movie is a fun way to share the atomic-scale world," said project leader Andreas J. Heinrich . "The reason we made this was not to convey a scientific message directly, but to engage with students, to prompt them to ask questions."
The modern concept of molecules can be traced back towards pre-scientific and Greek philosophers such as Leucippus and Democritus who argued that all the universe is composed of atoms and voids. Circa 450 BC Empedocles imagined fundamental elements ( fire ( ), earth ( ), air ( ), and water ( )) and "forces" of attraction and repulsion allowing ...
Atomic physics is the subfield of AMO that studies atoms as an isolated system of electrons and an atomic nucleus, while molecular physics is the study of the physical properties of molecules. The term atomic physics is often associated with nuclear power and nuclear bombs , due to the synonymous use of atomic and nuclear in standard English .
Atoms of one element can be transformed into atoms of a different element in nuclear reactions, which change an atom's atomic number. Historically, the term "chemical element" meant a substance that cannot be broken down into constituent substances by chemical reactions, and for most practical purposes this definition still has validity.
When atoms join into molecules, their inner electrons remain bound to their original nucleus while the outer valence electrons are distributed around the molecule. The charge distribution of these valence electrons determines the electronic energy level of a molecule, and can be described by molecular orbital theory , which closely follows the ...