radicals [ENDORSED]

[tatianatumbling_1J]

can someone elaborate on radicals? The TA went over them really quickly and I don't remember how she defined them.

[Emily 1E]

A radicals is a atom/molecule with a single unpaired valence electron. They contain an orbital valence orbital that only has one electron, not two. Radicals are highly reactive.

[sharonvivianv]

They are electrons that are not used while making bonds

[Patience Olsen 1A]

These atoms or molecules are found whenever the number of valence electrons is odd, leaving one unpaired valence electron.

[Bryan Jiang 1F]

They are electrons that are not used while making bonds

I don’t think that is totally true. Lone pairs also are electrons that are not used “while making bonds.” But radicals are more specific, like what Emily said above, that radicals involve a single, unpaired valence electron.

[sharonvivianv]

They are electrons that are not used while making bonds

I don’t think that is totally true. Lone pairs also are electrons that are not used “while making bonds.” But radicals are more specific, like what Emily said above, that radicals involve a single, unpaired valence electron.

What I meant was that they are not used up in a bond (the lines we draw to represent a bond). They are not shared or transferred when they are shown as lone pairs. Yes, they are not paired with anything.

[Jared Pagal 1J]

does an atom have to give up or take an electron in order for it to be a radical? or if the valence shell has an odd number of electrons is it already considered a radical?

[Cameron Smith 1I]

IM pretty sure whenever there is an odd number of electrons to distribute there will bw a radical, but I am not positive how to determine which element will be the radical.

[Phil Timoteo 1K]

If one of the electrons is unpaired it's considered a radical.

[Cindy Nguyen 1L]

I don't think radicals are necessarily made from atoms giving up or gaining electrons. If they do that, they would make bonds. I think radicals are made because of combustion or if something breaks a bond. Some examples would be gas from a muffler or broken bonds because of UV rays.