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Related Concept Videos

Ionic Radii03:10

Ionic Radii

33.4K
Ionic radius is the measure used to describe the size of an ion. A cation always has fewer electrons and the same number of protons as the parent atom; it is smaller than the atom from which it is derived. For example, the covalent radius of an aluminum atom (1s22s22p63s23p1) is 118 pm, whereas the ionic radius of an Al3+ (1s22s22p6) is 68 pm. As electrons are removed from the outer valence shell, the remaining core electrons occupying smaller shells experience a greater effective nuclear...
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Ionic Bonds00:42

Ionic Bonds

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Overview
When atoms gain or lose electrons to achieve a more stable electron configuration they form ions. Ionic bonds are electrostatic attractions between ions with opposite charges. Ionic compounds are rigid and brittle when solid and may dissociate into their constituent ions in water. Covalent compounds, by contrast, remain intact unless a chemical reaction breaks them.
Opposing Charges Hold Ions Together in Ionic Compounds
Ionic bonds are reversible electrostatic interactions between ions...
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Molecular and Ionic Solids02:54

Molecular and Ionic Solids

20.0K
Crystalline solids are divided into four types: molecular, ionic, metallic, and covalent network based on the type of constituent units and their interparticle interactions.
Molecular Solids
Molecular crystalline solids, such as ice, sucrose (table sugar), and iodine, are solids that are composed of neutral molecules as their constituent units. These molecules are held together by weak intermolecular forces such as London dispersion forces, dipole-dipole interactions, or hydrogen bonds, which...
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Solubility of Ionic Compounds02:55

Solubility of Ionic Compounds

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Solubility is the measure of the maximum amount of solute that can be dissolved in a given quantity of solvent at a given temperature and pressure. Solubility is usually measured in molarity (M) or moles per liter (mol/L). A compound is termed soluble if it dissolves in water.
68.1K
Ionic Crystal Structures02:42

Ionic Crystal Structures

16.9K
Ionic crystals consist of two or more different kinds of ions that usually have different sizes. The packing of these ions into a crystal structure is more complex than the packing of metal atoms that are the same size.
Most monatomic ions behave as charged spheres, and their attraction for ions of opposite charge is the same in every direction. Consequently, stable structures for ionic compounds result (1) when ions of one charge are surrounded by as many ions as possible of the opposite...
16.9K
Half-life of a Reaction02:42

Half-life of a Reaction

38.8K
The half-life of a reaction (t1/2) is the time required for one-half of a given amount of reactant to be consumed. In each succeeding half-life, half of the remaining concentration of the reactant is consumed. For example, during the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide, during the first half-life (from 0.00 hours to 6.00 hours), the concentration of H2O2 decreases from 1.000 M to 0.500 M. During the second half-life (from 6.00 hours to 12.00 hours), the concentration decreases from 0.500 M to...
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An Ionic Limit to Life in the Deep Subsurface.

Samuel J Payler1, Jennifer F Biddle2, Barbara Sherwood Lollar3

  • 1UK Centre for Astrobiology, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom.

Frontiers in Microbiology
|March 28, 2019
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Deep subsurface brines can support microbial life, but high ion concentrations can create uninhabitable zones. This research explores factors limiting microbial growth in deep underground environments.

Keywords:
astrobiologyevaporitehabitabilitysaltsubsurface

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Area of Science:

  • Geomicrobiology
  • Environmental Science
  • Isotope Geochemistry

Background:

  • Factors limiting microbial growth in the deep subsurface remain poorly understood.
  • Evaporite sequences host unique brine chemistries with potential impacts on life.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the physical and chemical factors controlling microbial growth in deep subsurface brines.
  • To characterize brine sources and their microbial communities at the Boulby Mine.

Main Methods:

  • Sampling of brines from 800-1300m depth in the Boulby Mine.
  • Analysis of ionic, hydrogen, and oxygen isotopic composition to identify brine sources.
  • Culturing experiments and metagenomic sequencing to assess microbial growth and community structure.

Main Results:

  • Two distinct brine sources were identified, differing from regional groundwater.
  • Most brines supported microbial replication, but one brine with low water activity and high magnesium/chloride ions was inhibitory.
  • Microbial communities in permissive brines resembled those in other hypersaline environments.

Conclusions:

  • High dissolved ion concentrations significantly shape microbial diversity in the deep subsurface.
  • Specific brine compositions can create uninhabitable aqueous environments, limiting life at shallower depths than previously thought.