What are Atoms, Electrons, Electrolytes, Sodium Fluoride, Sodium Chloride

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Can certain atoms have a charge? 

Atoms of certain elements naturally exist in a charged state which means that they either lost or gained electrons. It really is a matter of simple algebra. If an atom exists without an electron, it will have a single positive charge (1+) and if it exists without two electrons it will develop a double positive charge (2+). On the contrary, if an atom has an extra electron, it will have a single negative charge (1-) and if an atom has two additional electrons it will have a double negative charge (2-).

You might be thinking that this may have something to do with antioxidant nutrients, such as vitamins C and E and a whole host of others such as β carotene and lycopene. Also, you may have heard the term oxidation used in reference to energy operations in our body (e.g., oxidation of fat).

Is the transfer of electrons between atoms random?

It is important to keep in mind that this isn’t random; some atoms are simply more stable in a charged state. Charged atoms are often called electrolytes because their charge gives them electrical properties as discussed further below. Many elements important to nutrition and the proper functioning of our body exist naturally in a charged state. These elements include so dium, chlorine, potassium, iodine, magnesium, and calcium. The charge associated with an atom is often displayed in superscript next to the element’s symbol from the Periodic Table of Elements. For instance, sodium is written as Na+, potassium as K⁺ (both of which have given up an electron, while calcium is written as Ca²⁺ and magnesium as Mg²⁺ as they have given up two electrons. On the contrary, chlorine is written as Cl^-, flourine as F^- and iodine as I^- as they have gained an electron and thus a negative charge. Actually, we tend to refer to chlorine, fluorine, and iodine as chloride, fluoride, and iodide with respect to this electrical state.

How do atoms combine with each other?  

A couple millennia ago, the Greeks believed that water was one of the four elements of nature, along with fire, air, and earth, and that all things were made from combinations of these elements. Today, we of course know that there are more than a hundred elements. And, in fact, water is not a single element but a combination of atoms of two elements, namely hydrogen (H) and oxygen (O). When two or more atoms of the same or different elements combine together, molecules are formed. Therefore, water is a molecule. The chemical formula for a water molecule (below) is probably the most widely quoted of all chemical formulas. A chemical formula is merely a molecule’s atomic recipe. Thus, for each molecule of water, two hydrogen atoms (subscript 2 behind H) are bound to one oxygen atom (no subscript, so 1 is implied).  

From our previous description of the size of atoms you can imagine then that an ordinary glass of water must contain millions of watre molecules. In fact, we can use water to tidy up our understanding of elements, atoms, and molecules. If we have an 8 ounce (oz) glass of pure water, we can say that the container is accommodating millions of molecules of water, and thus millions of atoms; however, only two elements are present, oxygen and hydrogen.  

Atoms can link together or bond by two means. First, charged atoms can interact with oppositely charged atoms. Remember, as in so many aspects of life, opposites attract. Perhaps the best example of this kind of bonding is sodium chloride (NaCl) or common table salt. Here, the negatively charged chloride ions (Cl^-) are attracted and electrically stick to positively charged sodium ions (Na⁺). You can also check your toothpaste for sodium fluoride (NaF) or toothpaste salt. By the way, the term salt is a general term that describes these types of electrical interactions between atoms and molecules. 

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