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The Chemistry Of It All
I love the science and chemistry behind solar technology. I will present the facts as clearly and simply as possible so that we can all have a greater understanding of the way solar technology works.
Science is like a Christmas tree, or perhaps an Egyptian pyramid. While we may aim to understand one particular topic or concept (the top of the tree or the point of the pyramid), that can only be achieved by having a broad base of knowledge that supports the rest of the pyramid. This knowledge base gives us a firm and flexible foundation for understanding not only solar cell operation but a whole lot more about the way the world around us works.To make this easy, this page is broken into a series of chemistry concepts. Each concept can be explored in more detail by following the links within the description of it. If you are already familiar with some of this content, please feel free to skip to whatever topic takes your interest. This journey will give you a crystal clear understanding of the concepts discussed, without unnecessary technical jargon. BE WARNED though: this journey may change your view of the world around you!
The Atom: what is it?
All matter is made of atoms, but what is an atom? We know that atoms are made of smaller parts, but to get a clear understanding of this topic we need first to look at the history of discovery of the atom. The detail in these three following history sections builds up one after the other.
History of the Atom Part 1: From Democritus to Dalton.
This is a look at how the idea of the particle nature of matter was developed and some of the key players in the saga.
History of the Atom Part 2: From Thompson to Bohr.
Atomic theory develops at a rapid pace. In the space of 120 years since the work of Dalton, chemistry and atomic theory developed from four primary elements to the modern view backed up by solid experimentation. Bohr's theory went some of the way toward explaining both the
atomic absorption spectrum
and the
atomic emission spectrum
seen for each element but was only successful in this for the simplest elements like Hydrogen.
History of the Atom Part 3: Schrodinger's Model
This is the modern atomic theory. Extra complexity in terms of subshells, or shells within shells, for the electron structure allowed Bohr's emission spectra work to be extended to all elements. Once the physical nature of the atom is understood, it is necessary to know the subshell filling electron details; this is what gives elements their chemical properties.
How Atoms Join Together
To gain an understanding the chemistry of how atoms bond to each other to form compounds, we need to clearly understand that it is the OUTER SHELL of electrons of an atom that does the reacting and bonding. Therefore it is necessary to be able to understand the electron dot diagram that can be constructed for each element in the periodic table. We also need to have an understanding of how atoms and molecules look in 3-dimensional space according to the vsepr model. Once we have this knowledge, we begin to see, for example, the element Hydrogen in a new light.
Elements of the Periodic Table: Learn More
Click on the elements of your choice in the Periodic Table below. Learn about the elements' structures, isotopes, chemical bonding and more. You can also download your own printable periodic table picture.
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