The Subatomic ‘Fate’ of Living Organisms
I have so many questions about the periodic table elements: How did they get their characteristics? How did they get their shape? Why are there different lengths? Why are they chemically similar and dissimilar to each other? Most importantly, how do they contribute to our lives to determine our needs, structure, shape, and fate? I use the word ‘fate’ hyperbolically, by the way.
Today, we can say that electron configuration or arrangement in the atoms dictates the elemental properties, based on Austrian physicist Erwin Schrodinger’s 1926 depiction of electrons acting like waves and negative charge clouds in three-dimensional space, each with 4 unique quantum numbers. Those 4 numbers include: 1) orbital angular momentum that dictates the orbital shape, 2) principal quantum number that dictates distance from the nucleus, 3) magnetic quantum number that dictates energy level in the subshell, and 4) the upward or downward electron spin number [1].
Today, I suspect that many people still envision electrons encircling the nucleus of an atom like celestial bodies encircling the sun.
Though the Bohr model was revolutionary in its time, this does not explicitly tell us how electrons are dispersed around the nucleus. In the early 1900s, the Bohr model was eclipsed by the Quantum Mechanics Model that uses probability (instead of certainty) to treat atoms as waves [4] [5]. Although, the probability still suggests that the electron will occupy its orbitals 90% of the time [6].
The orbitals, where the electrons are housed, vary in shape and orientation. They have quantized energy levels and values, ascending and descending in discrete units, that are metaphorical to how you ascend or descend stairs. You go up and down in such a way that does not allow you to step anywhere in between two steps. This is unlike a ramp that ascends and descends continuously with no interrupting units. The stairs are quantized versus the ramp, which is non-quantized (McMurray, Ballantine, Hoeger, and Peterson, 2017, pg. 56) [7].
It seems to me that some people would like to capitalize on the fact that we cannot foretell an electron’s exact location in an attempt to make the world of atoms and electrons appear more capricious and spookier than necessary. It appears to me that there is still a range of limited possibilities as to where an electron can go and what it can do.
The shell, subshell, and orbitals are the only few different locations referring to electrons, as determined by mathematics, similar to how you and I can be located at our home city, street, zip code, and house number. They are confined to these rings and shells, environing the nucleus and restricting their freedom of movement. The electrons are quantized by letters (n=1 is shell 1, n=2 is shell 2, n=3 is shell 3, and n=4 is shell 4) [7].
They enlarge as they extend outward from the nucleus, gaining more electrons and augmenting their energies but also making their removal easier as they get further away from the positively charged nucleus [7].
Subshells are in the increasing order of s, p, d, and f within the four different shells [7].
Shell 1 has the s subshell with 1 spherical orbital. Shell 2 has the s and p subshells with 3 dumbbell-shaped orbitals. Shell 3 has the s, p, and d subshells with 5 orbitals. Shell 4 has the s, p, d, and f subshells with 7 orbitals [7].
Only 2 electrons exist within each orbital, varying by their spin; one moves clockwise while the other moves counterclockwise [7].
Most of the elements of living organisms contain s and p subshells (McMurray, Ballantine, Hoeger, and Peterson, 2017, pg. 56) [7].
It appears unclear to me as to how and why this can be. Perhaps we could find an answer or pattern by looking at diagrams of the Aufbau principle:
Let’s consider the commonplace elements in all living organisms that are relevant to s and p subshells. Oxygen (65%), carbon (18%), hydrogen (10%), and nitrogen (3%) comprise most of our human bodies. The elements are proportioned differently for nonliving things. What is integral to our bodies is often sparse throughout the rest of the Earth. For instance, nitrogen and oxygen abound in the atmosphere while carbon and hydrogen do not. Nitrogen and carbon are minuscule within the Earth’s crust while having a lot of oxygen. While varying in plenitude, all elements and chemical reactions adhere to the same laws, whether they are part of the living or nonliving [2].
Remember that oxygen monitors temperature and osmotic pressure within our bodies. Carbon is the assembler of carbohydrates, fats, nucleic acids, and proteins within our bodies. The fact that carbon has four bonding sites for other atoms makes it a cornerstone for organic chemistry. Water and all organic molecules contain hydrogen. Nitrogen is integral to our proteins, nucleic acids, and genetic code makeup [3].
With those essentials aside, let’s also consider the other s-and-p subshell-containing elements that are essential to our living bodies, though their amount is greatly less: 1) Calcium (Ca)- this mineral makes up 1.5% of our bodies and gives support to our bones, proteins, and muscle contraction. 2) Phosphorus (P) - makes up 1% of our bodies and is located in our adenosine triphosphate molecules that transport energy for our cells. 3) Potassium (K) - is an electrolyte that makes up 0.4% of our bodies, dispatching nerve impulses, and regulating heartbeat. 4) Sodium (Na) - is another electrolyte that makes up 0.2% of our bodies and controls nerve signaling and water abundance in our bodies. 5) Chlorine (Cl) - is a negatively charged ion making up 0.2% of our bodies to nourish fluid balance. 6) Magnesium (Mg) - makes up 0.1% of our bodies and is involved in many metabolic and enzymatic reactions. 7) Sulfur (S) - makes up 0.04% of our bodies and provides shape to proteins so they can perform optimally [3].
There are other fascinating elements found within the human body, but we shall end with these here.
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Works cited:
[1] https://www.breakingatom.com/learn-the-periodic-table/the-history-of-the-atomic-model-schrodinger-and-the-wave-equation
[3] https://www.thoughtco.com/elements-in-the-human-body-p2-602188
[4] Bohr's quantum theory revised -- ScienceDaily
[5] 7.4: The Quantum-Mechanical Model of the Atom - Chemistry LibreTexts
[6] The periodic table, electron shells, and orbitals (article) | Khan Academy
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