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

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SUMMARY

The discussion centers on Michael Faraday's introduction of the term "ion" in 1834, derived from the Greek word "ion," meaning "to go," reflecting the movement of ions towards electrodes of opposite charge. The term "unionized" is explored in relation to "ion," with the author questioning any etymological connections that could enhance understanding of electrochemistry concepts. The conversation emphasizes the importance of word structure in grasping scientific terminology, particularly in fields like electrochemistry and medical terminology.

PREREQUISITES
  • Basic understanding of electrochemistry concepts
  • Familiarity with the historical context of scientific terminology
  • Knowledge of etymology related to scientific terms
  • Experience in medical terminology and its relevance to word structure
NEXT STEPS
  • Research the historical development of scientific terminology in chemistry
  • Explore the principles of electrochemistry, focusing on ion movement
  • Study the significance of prefixes and suffixes in scientific language
  • Investigate the relationship between etymology and comprehension in STEM education
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Students of chemistry, educators in STEM fields, and professionals in medical and engineering disciplines seeking to deepen their understanding of scientific terminology and its applications.

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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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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
 


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).