• Question: What is the simplest chemical substance that cannot be broken down?

    Asked by anon-196023 to Sebastian, Paddy, Lee, Jennifer, Fiona, Eleanor on 7 Mar 2019.
    • Photo: Sebastian Cosgrove

      Sebastian Cosgrove answered on 7 Mar 2019:

      To get to the point where we realistically cannot break something down further then you are going to have to get to sub-atomic particles, which are the quantum particles that make up atoms. In my job, I never encounter such tiny, tiny things as you need super-specialised equipment to be able to observed them. One of the smallest molecules in nature that we have trouble breaking down is carbon dioxide, or CO2. This is a really small and unreactive molecule, and it is because it is so unreactive that we have trouble breaking it down. Because of these problems, CO2 is regarded as the one of the most troublesome molecule with regards to global warming, because it’s only really trees that have evolved to get rid of it efficiently!

    • Photo: Fiona Scott

      Fiona Scott answered on 7 Mar 2019:

      In a similar vibe to Sebastian, things are typically broken down to atoms, and from their into sub atomic particles (protons, neutrons, electrons). They can be broken down further into quarks and neutrinos etc. but you’ll need to speak to a physicist about that. It all got a bit complicated for me towards the end of high school!

      Hydrogen is the simplest element and 75% of the universe is made up of hydrogen gas (H2) so I guess you could say that is one of the simplest substances as most of our universe seems happy to exist in that form.

Comments