What are those gases that are always bonded to eachother, like they always have the a 2 subscript in an equation?
H2, N2, O2, F2, Cl2, Br2, I2, and their cousins P4 and S8.
Thanks so much :)
Is there a special name for them?
There is a mnemonic, sort of, which I have seen but I don't remember it. Give me a few minutes.
I don't remember the mnemonic; however, look at your periodic table. H is the first element and you must remember to start with that one, then all of the others are bunched. Look at N, O, F are on a straight line from left to right and when you get to the F, you simply go down the table from F to Cl to Br to I. P and S just add another row (1 below N and 1 below O). My periodic table has them colored red for agases and blue for liquid and black for solid. Br is a liquid and I is a solid. Of course P and S are solids.
Thanks so much :)
The gases that are always bonded to each other with a 2 subscript in an equation are diatomic gases. Diatomic gases are composed of two atoms of the same element covalently bonded together. The most common diatomic gases are hydrogen (H2), nitrogen (N2), oxygen (O2), fluorine (F2), chlorine (Cl2), bromine (Br2), and iodine (I2).
To understand why these elements exist naturally in pairs, we need to consider their electron configurations. Each atom wants to achieve a stable configuration by filling its valence shell with electrons. By forming a covalent bond with another atom of the same element, both atoms can share electrons and achieve stability.
To determine which elements exist as diatomic gases, you can refer to the periodic table. Start with hydrogen (H) in Group 1 and move across the second row, excluding helium (He). These elements - nitrogen (N), oxygen (O), fluorine (F), chlorine (Cl), bromine (Br), and iodine (I) - are diatomic gases.
Remember, this pattern occurs because it provides these elements with increased stability through the sharing of electrons, enabling them to achieve a more favorable electron configuration.