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114 votes
1 answer
6k views

Is there a general consensus on the causes of the alpha-effect?

There have been various explanations posited for the α-effect. The α-effect refers to a phenomenon wherein nucleophiles with lone pairs on atoms adjacent (i.e., in the α- position) to the atom bearing ...
Greg E.'s user avatar
  • 11.9k
8 votes
1 answer
2k views

Why is N₂ stable but HCN and C₂H₂ unstable?

Compounds with triple bonds generally seem to be unstable. $\ce{HCN}$ and $\ce{C2H2}$ are high-energy, relatively short-lived molecules that will readily polymerise or react with other organic ...
N. Virgo's user avatar
  • 1,661
11 votes
2 answers
2k views

How does an oscillating reaction work?

I watched a Belousov--Zhabotinsky reaction video showing an orange solution that goes to clear and then back to orange (and so forth.) The reaction goes through a number of cycles before it will no ...
Melanie Shebel's user avatar
18 votes
1 answer
732 views

What is the relation between surface tension and initial molecular harmonic?

Initial harmonic is measured as Hartree/Bohr^2 ( like IHarmonic=n in Gaussian Software ). As I am from physics background I am used to look at features from their dimension point of view: Actually ...
Aug's user avatar
  • 2,141
4 votes
1 answer
208 views

Plasma creation and condensation

Every chemical has a decomposition temperature. My understanding is that above that temperature molecular bonds are broken. And if we raise the heat high enough then all molecular bonds will break ...
feetwet's user avatar
  • 3,340
3 votes
1 answer
2k views

Electrode potentials at interfaces?

My questions relates to the fundamental concept of electrochemistry, more specifically the electrode potentials. 1) First, why is there a potential difference at the interface of two phases? ...
stochastic13's user avatar
  • 6,795