Learning device, help me expound: on Faraday's choice of ion , and unionized

In summary: So that's something to think about.In summary, Michael Faraday created the word "ion" because "ions move toward the electrode of opposite charge".
  • #1
ddd1600
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Learning device, help me expound: on Faraday's choice of "ion", and "unionized"

So I was writing down some notes to myself on electrochemistry (100 level college chemistry---elementary electrochemistry chapter) and I wrote down the word "unionized" (as in, 'un-ionized') and realized that there must be some sort of etymological relations between "union" and "ion". So I look up the etymology of "ion",

Ion
1834, introduced by Eng. physicist and chemist Michael Faraday (suggested by William Whewell), coined from Gk. ion, neut. prp. of ienai "go," from PIE base *ei- "to go, to walk" (cf. Gk. eimi "I go;" L. ire "to go," iter "a way;" O.Ir. ethaim "I go;" Ir. bothar "a road" (from *bou-itro- "cows' way"), Gaulish eimu "we go," Goth. iddja "went," Skt. e'ti "goes," imas "we go," ayanam "a going, way;" Avestan ae'iti "goes;" O.Pers. aitiy "goes;" Lith. eiti "to go;" O.C.S. iti "go;" Bulgarian ida "I go;" Rus. idti "to go"). So called because ions move toward the electrode of opposite charge. Ionosphere coined 1926 by R.A. Watson-Watt.

and I get that. Basically it states that he used "ion" because "ions move toward the electrode of opposite charge". Simple, elegant, good stuff.

So given the fact that un-ionized is "unionized" (like with workers in a factory), do any free-association types have some kind of elaboration of this coincidence which could help a student better understand the fundamentals of electrochemistry?
 
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  • #2


Oh yeah, and this could be really dumb. Oh well, in order to have good ideas, you have to give the potentially bad ones a voice too
 
  • #3


Not dumb. I think it's just a coincidence, but I'm not a student of etymology. Still, in my experience, word structure, prefixes and suffixes are very important in medical terminology (I'm an EMT on the side), but not really in EE (my day job).
 

What is a learning device?

A learning device is a tool or instrument that aids in the process of acquiring new knowledge or skills. It can be anything from a textbook to a computer program.

What is Faraday's choice of ion?

Faraday's choice of ion refers to the specific type of ion that he used in his experiments. In his famous electrolysis experiments, Faraday used hydrogen ions as they were the smallest and simplest to work with.

Why did Faraday choose to use ions in his experiments?

Faraday chose to use ions in his experiments because they are electrically charged particles that can easily be manipulated and moved using an electric current. This allowed him to study the effects of electricity on different substances.

What does it mean for an ion to be unionized?

An ion is considered unionized when it has an equal number of positive and negative charges, resulting in a neutral overall charge. This can occur when an ion bonds with another ion or atom, resulting in a stable compound.

How did Faraday's experiments with ions contribute to our understanding of electricity?

Faraday's experiments with ions were groundbreaking in our understanding of electricity. Through his experiments, he discovered the principles of electrolysis, the process of using electricity to break down compounds into their constituent elements. This laid the foundation for our understanding of electrical currents and their effects on different substances.

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