In the depths of our solar system — a realm where chemistry meets speculation — scientists have reported the possible existence of a molecule known as aquodiium, an elusive cousin of the ammonium ion. If true, that could explain oddities in Neptune and Uranus’ magnetic fields.of hydrogen and one atom of oxygen , has never been observed before due to the high energy barrier involved in adding a secondto the molecule hydronium , which is how aquodiium must be formed.
This is where things get interesting: the study's authors suggest the planets' unusual magnetic fields could be generated by ions acting as charge carriers. Ions are atoms or molecules with a net electrical charge resulting from the loss or gain of one or more electrons. These ions pertaining to Uranus and Neptune's magnetic fields don't have to exist solely as standalone protons but could also include hydronium, ammonium — and aquodiium.
In chemistry, a molecule typically exists in its lowest energy form, known as the ground state. This is because nature tends to follow the path of least resistance, and the ground state minimizes factors such as bond strain, meaning atoms within the molecule are connected at less-than-ideal angles, and electrostatic repulsion, where charged atoms or groups within the molecule repel one another.
When a proton is added to water to form hydronium, those two factors are more easily overcome; the resulting molecule has a positive charge localized on only one of the oxygen atoms, with the hydrogen atoms arranged in a stable geometry around the oxygen atom in the center.
A chemist turned science writer, Victoria Corless completed her Ph.D. in organic synthesis at the University of Toronto and, ever the cliché, realized lab work was not something she wanted to do for the rest of her days. After dabbling in science writing and a brief stint as a medical writer, Victoria joined Wiley’s Advanced Science Newswhere she works as an editor and writer. On the side, she freelances for various outlets, including Research2Reality and Chemistry World.