4 ms·
Is there such a thing as a non-tiny ion? I suppose a very long carbon chain might count. It's strange that the article doesn't even name it: inositol hexakisp
by mkl 4y ago
Is there such a thing as a non-tiny ion? I suppose a very long carbon chain might count. It's strange that the article doesn't even name it: inositol hexakisphosphate, a.k.a phytic acid https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phytic_acid https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phytic_acid.
- ben_w 4y agoAlbeit as a non-chemist, I'm surprised ions get as big as phytic acid.
- psychphysic 4y agoI'm not a chemist. But by common definitions aren't all acids (an)ions? (As in bronstead Lowry acids). So why is it being called an ion and not just acid?
- mkl 4y agoI think because they're talking about individual molecules fitting into the solid structure, not lots of molecules in solution.
- cout 4y agoI am also not a chemist. A (bronstead) acid is a proton donor. An atom that donates a proton becomes an (an)ion. The acid is not the anion; the anion is the conjugate base of the acid. Not all acids form an anion; hydronium is an ion that becomes neutral when it donates a proton. I do not know why the article used the term ion here. I am guessing it is because the abstract refers to IP6 as a polyanion. It is not referred to as an acid, because it is not participating in acid/base chemistry (though I tried reading the paper and the mechanism is well over my head).
- nextaccountic 4y ago> An atom that donates a proton An atom can donate an electron (and become a cation), but how can an atom donate a proton? By nuclear fission? edit: but, a molecule can donate a proton (an H+), and the molecule itself will become an anion
- cout 4y agoGood point, I meant to say molecule, not atom. I blame lack of coffee.
- ginko 4y ago> It's strange that the article doesn't even name it: inositol hexakisphosphate, a.k.a phytic acid That actually seems pretty large as ions go. Compared to inorganic ones at least.
- feet 4y agoYea when I read "tiny ion" I think "oh something like a sodium or potassium ion"
- dmitryminkovsky 4y agoI didn't know people used the term "ion" like this, either.
- candiodari 4y agoI think the general idea is that the biggest ion 2 angstrom tops, more likely 0.2 angstrom, whereas most proteins (where the ion is used) are 30-50 angstroms across (and note this is 3d, a 1 angstrom ion is 1000 times smaller than a 10 angstrom protein). And the whole HIV virus particle is ~1200 angstrom across. So that ion is like a mouse compared to a skyscraper.