Chemistry is one of the most enriching and enlightening knowledge that mankind has ever come across. It is a science that is mainly concerned with the smallest of matter that, consequently, can explain the properties and behaviour of matter throughout the universe. My objective as a science student and artist was to take a small frame of this vast science and show the diversity and beauty of a simple but profound aspect of chemistry. One of the greatest phenomenons of chemistry is chemical bonding, which is a process that leads to the formation of a set of substances together. It usually induces a more stable form of these substances. There are two different types of bonds that can exist between atoms: Ionic or covalent. In this project I decided to represent the nature of ionic bonding. This process takes place when atoms with high electronegativity take an electron from an atom with low ionization energy, which consequently leaves the atoms with a complete valence shell. In my drawing, I made a representation of that process by drawing a small “fluorine” atom bonding with a “Caesium” atom to form a final product: CsF. Fluorine, a non-metal, is very reactive due to the fact that it has the highest level of electronegativity, therefore it is the atom that attracts electrons the most. It is thus one of the atoms with the smallest radius. Caesium, a metal, on the other hand, is also very reactive due to the fact that it has very small ionization energy, which means it can lose its valence electrons very easily. It is accordingly one of the atoms with a biggest atomic radius. In here, we see that elements display periodicity. Not only that, we also see how opposites tend to attract. This is what gives chemistry and, more importantly, life its diversity. That’s what I tried to portray the most in my artwork. We see how fluorine (the evil entity) is pulling the electron (soul) of Caesium (Cyborg positive entity) to form in the middle CsF (the meditating cleric). The drawing is trying to portray an image of ionic bonding which is how atoms with opposite properties (one needs to lose an electron and the other needs to gain) combine to form a stable and balanced molecule (the monk). The reason I drew the molecule as a monk is because I wanted to represent how these opposite atoms combine to become “balanced” or “stable”. I purposely drew two sides to his clothes with two different colours, forming almost a “yin-yang” shape. This is supposed to represent the polarity of the molecule. From this, we can observe two things: Matter is made of atoms and chemical bonds form when electrons pair. The first claim is pretty easy to digest, matter is obviously made of atoms this is the foundation of chemistry that has been argued even before chemistry itself, ever since 460 BC when Democritus made the first atomic model. As for the second claim, it seems farfetched because it’s talking about electron pairs when this clearly an ionic bond. Well Atkins argues that an ionic bond is just like a covalent bond in which the electrons are closer to the anion. As for the colourful branches drawn behind the monk, that is supposed to represent the diversity of chemical bonding, but all of these branches lead to one thing; the core of the main branch which is the monk. The colours are supposed to represent the different emission spectrums in different atoms that give chemical reaction and, ultimately, the universe its beauty. The reason I drew the smoke coming off is because atomic bonding is exothermic and so it was suppose to show that energy is conserved.
Lastly, I think the biggest motivation that drove me to do this project is the wisdom we can get from ionic bonds. The wisdom is that one is only at peace when one achieves balance with one’s self and with nature, which really brings the Yin-Yang into perspective. I think that with our advancements in science, chemists have an opportunity to produce aphorisms out of matter’s behaviour that is unprecedented in history.
Sources and References
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chemistry
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democritus#Atomic_hypothesis
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halogen
http://www.chemeurope.com/en/encyclopedia/Caesium_fluoride.html
http://www.rsc.org/Education/EiC/issues/2005_Jan/skeletal.asp