Ions

Abstract

In the previous two problems we stated that an acid dissociates to give a conjugate base, an anion, and a proton, a cation. Anions and cations are ions. When you dissolve a spoonful of sugar in a glass of water you get a solution of sugar molecules; they are same, in shape and size, as in a lump of sugar. However, a spoonful of salt, NaCl, dissolved in water will give you one spoonful of sodium ions, Na⁺, and one spoonful of chloride ions, Cl⁻. So you end up having two times as many “things.” There are many other interesting properties ions have. Ions are present everywhere in nature and in our bodies, in our sweat, our blood, and our tears.

According to Greek mythology the daughter of Erechtheus, the king of Athens and the symbolic father of all Athenians, illegitimately conceived a child with god Apollo. She abandoned her son after birth expecting him to die. An orphaned, homeless person in low esteem, he found, much later and after many complications, his mother and reunited with her and subsequently achieved a great success and happiness in life. His name was ION.

From the story of Ion as told by Euripides.