• Question: why does some chemials react when they are mixed and others dont?

    Asked by nicolepoynter to Cesar, Emily, Jamie, Kate, Philippa on 15 Jun 2011.
    • Photo: Jamie Gallagher

      Jamie Gallagher answered on 14 Jun 2011:

      phew, thats a big question! it is all about energy! chemicals do what is the best and easiest. Some are very very reactive- you wont normally find these in a natural state becasue they are too reactive. Chemicals want to be stable, they want to have enough electrons.

      If something is missing electrons or maybe has too many then it will do anything to get what it wants. Some things – like the nobel gases are happy on thier own, they bounce along in their own world with nice full electron shells and hate to react with anything.

    • Photo: Emily Robinson

      Emily Robinson answered on 15 Jun 2011:

      I like to think about it as them wanting to hold hand to feel nice, calm and relaxed. If there is a hand free then the chemical gets nervous and stressed so reacts more. I hope that helps?!

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