Astrochemistry#
Introduction
Topics
Introduction
Difficulty: 🟢
Status:
- 🔥Needs: 🏸 - 💏
Read time: 5 min
Molecule Inventory
Difficulty: 🔴
Status:
- 🔥Needs: 🏸 - 💏
Read time: 1h
Chemistry in space
Difficulty: 🔴
Status:
- 🔥Needs: 🏸 - 💏
Read time: 1h
Observations
Difficulty: 🟡
Status:
- 🔥Needs: 🏸 - 💏
Read time: 5 min
Isotopes
Difficulty: 🔴
Status:
- 🔥Needs: 🏸 - 💏
Read time: 1h
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Astrochemistry
What is Astrochemistry ?#
Relatively new field studying the chemistry of space
Who does that ?#
Before we speak about Astrochemistry, lets make sure we understand what is chemistry. If you feel a bit wobbly on this topic, feel free to check this free Open Learn course provided by the Open University.
Discovering chemistry
This free course begins with the idea that everything that you can see is made of building blocks called atoms. This leads on to a look at the chemical elements and how they are arranged in the Periodic Table. Next you will consider chemical reactions, specifically how atoms combine with other atoms to form molecules, and how molecules combine with other atoms or molecules to form bigger molecules. You will meet simple (tried and tested) theories to explain the bonding in molecules and at how their shapes may be explained, and indeed predicted. In a wider sense you’ll be looking at why reactions happen at all and how fast they go. This is also a beginner’s level course in the language of the chemist; you’ll learn about symbols, formulas and how chemical equations which represent reactions are constructed. Finally you will see how chemists count atoms and molecules, essential for making up solutions of a known concentration in order to carry out a reaction, or performing a chemical analysis
What is Astrochemistry ?#
Lots of molecules discovered in the ISM
List of molecules …
Gas phase / Solid phase
In gas phase, Pressure is too low for molecules to react -> Solid phase is the place where chemistry occur.