Re: ion vs radical

[don@radpro.uchicago.edu]

An ion has a net (+ or -) electrical charge.  A free radical has an unpaired
l and O atoms are radicals
in their ground electronic state.  The charge of an ion tends to induce charge
polarization in matter surrounding it which tends to offset the charge of the 
ion.  Ordinary tap water is full of ions stabilized in just this way.  Radicals,being electrically neutral,  do not enshroud themselves in this way, and may
drift through matter until they find something suitable to react with, and
they are very reactive.  Moreover, free radical reactions tend to produce more
free radicals causing a chain reaction.  A freshman chem text will discuss the
topic, but an organic chem text will tell you much more than you want to know-
if I haven't done that already.

___________________________________________________________________

Don Jordan                          Tel. (312) 702-6299
Office of Radiation Safety          Fax        702-4008
The University of Chicago           email: don@radpro.uchicago.edu
1101 East 57th Street, Room 11
Chicago, Illinois  60637  
                -- Any opinions are the author's --