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A space-filling model of the diatomic molecule dinitrogen, N 2. Diatomic molecules (from Greek di- 'two') are molecules composed of only two atoms, of the same or different chemical elements. If a diatomic molecule consists of two atoms of the same element, such as hydrogen (H 2) or oxygen (O 2), then it is said to be homonuclear.
A large fraction of the chemical elements that occur naturally on the Earth's surface are essential to the structure and metabolism of living things. Four of these elements (hydrogen, carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen) are essential to every living thing and collectively make up 99% of the mass of protoplasm. [1]
Some of the largest molecules are macromolecules or supermolecules. The smallest molecule is the diatomic hydrogen (H 2), with a bond length of 0.74 Å. [24] Effective molecular radius is the size a molecule displays in solution. [25] [26] The table of permselectivity for different substances contains examples.
Two or more atoms can combine to form molecules. Some elements are formed from molecules of identical atoms, e. g. atoms of hydrogen (H) form diatomic molecules (H 2). Chemical compounds are substances made of atoms of different elements; they can have molecular or non-molecular structure.
Many major classes of organic molecules in living organisms contain oxygen atoms, such as proteins, nucleic acids, carbohydrates and fats, as do the major constituent inorganic compounds of animal shells, teeth, and bone. Most of the mass of living organisms is oxygen as a component of water, the major constituent of lifeforms.
In chemistry and biology, reactive oxygen species (ROS) are highly reactive chemicals formed from diatomic oxygen (O 2), water, and hydrogen peroxide. Some prominent ROS are hydroperoxide (O 2 H), superoxide (O 2 −), [1] hydroxyl radical (OH.), and singlet oxygen. [2] ROS are pervasive because they are readily produced from O 2, which is ...
Living things are composed of biochemical molecules, formed mainly from a few core chemical elements. All living things contain two types of large molecule, proteins and nucleic acids, the latter usually both DNA and RNA: these carry the information needed by each species, including the instructions to make each type of protein. The proteins ...
Hydrogen is commonly used in power stations as a coolant in generators due to a number of favorable properties that are a direct result of its light diatomic molecules. These include low density, low viscosity, and the highest specific heat and thermal conductivity of all gases. [citation needed]