Connecting Chemical Bonds and Relativity Theory
Author Information
Author(s): Whitney Cynthia Kolb
Hypothesis
Can there exist any plausible connection between the phenomenology of chemical bonding and the theory of relativity?
Conclusion
The study suggests that chemical bonding is more about the collective status of all atoms in a molecule rather than individual atom-to-atom connections.
Supporting Evidence
- The study reveals that stable molecules have total electron counts that can be assigned to noble gas configurations.
- The algebraic model developed in the paper extends to all possible elements and ionization orders.
- Patterns in ionization potentials suggest a strong correlation with chemical bonding stability.
Takeaway
This paper explores how chemical bonds relate to the theory of relativity, suggesting that stable molecules have a certain number of electrons like noble gases.
Methodology
The paper reviews empirical correlations and develops a new algebraic model for ionization potentials based on scaling laws.
Limitations
The model's weakest area is its fit to second-order and third-order ionization potentials for elements in the sixth and seventh periods.
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