Diatomic elements?

[Jedrick Zablan 3L]

Why do the seven diatomic elements (Hydrogen, Nitrogen, Oxygen, Fluorine, Chlorine, Iodine, and Bromine) have to come in pairs? Why can they not stand alone in a chemical equation?

[WUng_1D]

They are diatomic because they always exist in this form in real life, you will never find oxygen or any of the other diatomic elements.

[charleejohnson1L]

I'm pretty positive it's because they're unstable in singularity and/or they naturally occur in nature as diatomic. :)

[Michelle Chan 1J]

I think that's just how they naturally occur. For example, you won't find just one singular oxygen atom, thus we make them diatomic in chemical equations.

[Eunice Nguyen 4I]

They come in pairs to be more stable ^^

[Jedrick Zablan 3L]

Thank you guys for the help :)

[Diana A 2L]

I would note that for diatomic elements it is important to remember to use molar mass of 32.0g/mol when doing stoichiometry calculations that ask questions like, "how many moles of oxygen does THIS reaction produce". Since oxygen naturally occurs in pairs:)

[Lauren Lewis3L]

In this case, are we required to assume that oxygen is always two even in a chemical equation so that when finding the molar mass it is 32.00 and not 16.00?

[Ryan Chang 1C]

In response to Lauren, I believe that chemical equations will already show that oxygen by itself is diatomic, as well as the other diatomic molecules. Also, an easy way to remember the diatomic molecules is:

Have (hydrogen)
No (nitrogen)
Fear (fluorine)
Of (oxygen)
Ice (iodine)
Cold (chlorine)
Beer (bromine)