Skip to main content

Questions tagged [inorganic-chemistry]

Inorganic compounds generally do not have C-H bonds, while organic compounds do have such bonds. The distinction between inorganic and organic chemistry, however, is far from absolute.

40 votes
1 answer
11k views

"Middle row anomaly" of the periodic table

I was studying about the periodic table recently, and was reading a topic associated with oxides of halogens, and came across the following line The bromine oxides, $\ce{Br2O}$, $\ce{BrO2}$, $\ce{...
Rajat Jain's user avatar
39 votes
3 answers
45k views

Why does basicity of group 15 hydrides decrease down the group?

In my textbook it is written that the order of basic strength of pnictogen hydrides is $$\ce{NH3 > PH3 > AsH3 > SbH3 > BiH3}$$ I tried but could not find any explanation as to why this ...
Soham's user avatar
  • 1,273
38 votes
1 answer
80k views

Why is [PdCl4]2- square planar whereas [NiCl4]2- is tetrahedral?

The molecule $\ce{[PdCl4]^2-}$ is diamagnetic, which indicates a square planar geometry as all eight d electrons are paired in the lower-energy orbitals. However, $\ce{[NiCl4]^2-}$ is also $\mathrm{d^...
user avatar
35 votes
9 answers
13k views

Would it be possible to destroy gold?

I'm a writer. I have a scenario in which a sizable amount of gold needs to be rendered unusable, preferably completely destroyed. I know an acid like aqua regia is able to dissolve gold, but would ...
Mathias L. Magnussen's user avatar
35 votes
3 answers
12k views

Does O2 have a color in the gas phase

I have noticed that liquid $\ce{O2}$ (I clarify it as $\ce{O2}$ because oxygen exists in several other forms which have different colors in the liquid state than $\ce{O2}$) has a light blue color to ...
Caters's user avatar
  • 2,121
33 votes
2 answers
34k views

What is Drago's rule? Does it really exist?

My textbooks states the Drago's rule in inorganic chemistry as follows: The more electronegative atom prefers the orbital having more $\mathrm{p}$ character, and lone-pairs or less electronegative ...
user avatar
32 votes
1 answer
5k views

How to name binary (inorganic) compounds given their chemical formula, and vice-versa?

How can I deduce the name of a binary (inorganic) compound like $\ce{B2F2}$ or $\ce{N2O4}$, from the formula? And how can I convert a chemical name like diboron difluoride to the chemical formula? I ...
Gaurang Tandon's user avatar
32 votes
2 answers
3k views

What makes Gorilla Glass more durable with each generation?

Gorilla Glass (GG) is one of the most recognizable brands of toughened glasses today, thanks to their marketing and widespread usage in various gadgets and automobile industry. According to Wikipedia,...
andselisk's user avatar
  • 38.4k
31 votes
3 answers
39k views

What metals aren't dissolved in/attacked by aqua regia?

Aqua regia (Latin: Royal Water) is one of the strongest acids known in Chemistry, and is capable of dissolving gold and platinum. My copy of the Oxford science dictionary goes on to say (under the ...
paracetamol's user avatar
  • 18.8k
30 votes
3 answers
11k views

Is activated carbon classified as organic or inorganic?

Organic compounds are typically defined as “molecules containing carbon”. Wikipedia states that there for some historical (read: non-logical) reasons, a few types of carbon-containing compounds ...
F'x's user avatar
  • 23.8k
30 votes
3 answers
5k views

Are graphite and hexagonal boron nitride aromatic

Are graphite and hexagonal boron nitride aromatic? Graphite has a planar network of 6-membered rings with each carbon connected to three other carbons. Since the valency of carbon is not satisfied, ...
Aditya Dev's user avatar
  • 7,804
29 votes
2 answers
6k views

Why do the alkali metals form different products upon combustion in air?

From Wikipedia's article on sodium: When burned in dry air, it forms primarily sodium peroxide with some sodium oxide. We know that sodium has a strong reducing capacity, so why does it produce a ...
CowperKettle's user avatar
  • 3,276
29 votes
2 answers
79k views

Melting and boiling points of transition elements

The melting and boiling points of transition elements increase from scandium ($1530~\mathrm{^\circ C}$) to vanadium ($1917~\mathrm{^\circ C}$). They increase because as we go across the group, we have ...
Rafique's user avatar
  • 1,037
28 votes
4 answers
39k views

Why does mercury decolourise a gold ring?

I saw that a gold ring decolourised as it got in contact with mercury . Why does this happen ? Is there any way to reverse this?
Chitra Lekha's user avatar
28 votes
2 answers
3k views

Why is snow white?

I know that this is a rather ambiguous question; but my question is, whenever we take water and freeze it in the freezer, it still tends to stay clear. Since snow is just frozen water, why is it white?...
Asker123's user avatar
  • 3,050

15 30 50 per page