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LogicalAcid
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If the purpose of elements reacting was to stabilize the atoms, then after a standard reaction shouldn't the atoms be completely stable, instead of having to form compounds/molecules of 10+ atoms?
What do you mean 'the purpose' of a reaction?LogicalAcid said:If the purpose of elements reacting was to stabilize the atoms,
There is no such thing as 'completely' stable (for all intents and purposes), you can be arbitrarily stable or unstable.LogicalAcid said:then after a standard reaction shouldn't the atoms be completely stable
large compounds can still be highly stable, and more importantly, stable enough to exist.LogicalAcid said:instead of having to form compounds/molecules of 10+ atoms?
LogicalAcid said:I thought that when elements react with one another, they become more and more stable
Borek said:That's where you are wrong. In short - you can't look at a single product of the reaction, you have to look at everything that happens.
Imagine you have a reaction with more than one product, it may happen that one of these products is highly stable (like water, or carbon dioxide, or sodium chloride) and its stability is what is driving the reaction - but other product is much less stable.
It may also happen that the reaction is driven not by the stability of the products, but by the increasing entropy of the system.
Note that I used term "stability" rather lousily, just to answer the question in terms you have used.
The formation of large compounds or molecules is a complex process that involves the combination of smaller molecules or atoms through chemical bonding. This can occur through various methods such as dehydration synthesis, condensation reactions, and polymerization.
Dehydration synthesis is a type of chemical reaction where two smaller molecules combine to form a larger molecule through the removal of a water molecule. This process is often seen in the formation of carbohydrates, proteins, and lipids.
Condensation reactions involve the joining of two molecules with the release of a small molecule, such as water. This process is essential in the formation of larger molecules like nucleic acids, where the joining of nucleotides occurs through condensation reactions.
Yes, large compounds and molecules can form naturally through biological processes. In living organisms, enzymes play a crucial role in facilitating the formation of large molecules like proteins and DNA.
Apart from chemical reactions, other factors that can contribute to the formation of large compounds and molecules include temperature, pressure, and the presence of catalysts. These factors can affect the rate and outcome of the chemical reactions involved in the formation process.