What is Chelation?
'''Chelation''' refers to the [[Chemical bond|bonding]] of [[Chemical element|elemental]] [[atom]]s that cannot normally be bonded. For example, [[Sodium]] is a metal element that can bond with many other elements, like [[chlorine]] (forming common [[table salt]]: NaCl), or [[hydrogen]] and [[oxygen]] ([[Sodium hydroxide]]). The reason for this is that the way that atoms bond with each other is similar to a jigsaw puzzle: Only the proper shape can fit into the empty space made by the other pieces. However, with atoms, it's a bit different. For each element, the atom carries a certain number of [[electron]]s in [[orbit]] around its [[Nucleus (physics)|nucleus]]. Sometimes these orbits are split into levels, and only a certain number of electrons can fill each orbit before moving to a higher orbit. Sometimes, an orbit level is not filled all the way and can only be filled with electrons from another element with a smaller number of electrons in a higher level. When the atoms bond together, the electrons are traded between the two equally and create a very strong bond. However, there are a few elements that cannot bond with many other elements, because they have orbits that are already filled, or nearly filled, equally. (Like a finished jigsaw puzzle) These elements can sometimes be [[poison]]ous to a human, and cannot be removed easily (for example, [[Mercury (element)|mercury]].) Chelation enables a non-bonding element to bond, thereby enabling removal. {{sci-stub}} [[Category:Physical chemistry]] [[Category:Analytical chemistry]]