AST 248 Lecture Notes - Lecture 16: Boron, Surface Tension, Inorganic Chemistry
1 Aug 2016
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Document Summary
Chemical life is easier with a structural element that is able to share many electrons c or elements below it in the periodic table. Julius scheiner in 1891 first speculated on the suitability of si for life. Heat stability of si compounds might allow life to exist at high temperatures. Si-based clays could develop simple metabolisms (genetic takeover theory). Artificial life or intelligence could contain a significant silicon content. C, si, ge: versatility from ability to bind with up to 4 atoms at a time. Ge: not very abundant in space or on planetary crusts. Si is 1000 times as abundant as c in planetary crusts. Si-si bonds have half the strength of c-c bonds; are therefore fragile. Si-o bonds are much stronger than si-si or c-o bonds and tend to shortcircuit the formation of lo(cid:374)g (cid:272)hai(cid:374)s of i"s. Complex si-(cid:271)ased (cid:373)ole(cid:272)ules (cid:272)a(cid:374)"t sur(cid:448)i(cid:448)e lo(cid:374)g i(cid:374) water. I does(cid:374)"t (cid:374)or(cid:373)ally for(cid:373) dou(cid:271)le (cid:271)o(cid:374)ds, whi(cid:272)h li(cid:373)its its ra(cid:374)ge of rea(cid:272)tio(cid:374)s.
