[extropy-chat] Scientists Confront 'Weird Life' on Other Worlds

[Robert J. Bradbury]

On Fri, 14 May 2004, Alejandro Dubrovsky wrote:

> I think the bond strengths are similar in the diatomic case, but carbon
> does chains without losing strength, while si-si bonds drop to 226
> kj/mol in that case.  Also si=si bonds are very unstable
>

Interesting.  Perhaps there is some interaction the strength of the
attraction between outer bonding electron shell(s) and the protons
in the nucleus -- the inner electron shells may shield the outer
electron shells from the charge attraction in larger atoms compared
with smaller atoms.  That may alter interatom bonding strength and stability.

Robert