Free Radicals

Free radicals are a group of electrons that have been damaged and are found in almost every molecule. They combine with other constituents very quickly and produce the results that are expected. Many organic molecules have a short half-life, which is why even free radicals must multiply themselves from time to time in order to avoid being completely destroyed by a single body.

A free radical is an atom or a molecule that is free in its space and independent in its nature, as defined in chemistry. Free radicals are molecules that contain unpaired electrons, and these radicals are capable of mixing easily with their respective components without being affected by the surrounding environment.

These free radicals are essential for the proper functioning of the body, which is why they should be present in greater quantities in humans’ bodies.

In chemistry, there are a lot of examples of free radicals, which are basically made of Nitric Acid (NO), Hydrogen Peroxide (H2O2), Hydroxyl radical (OH), and so on.

Different Types of Free Radicals

Free radicals can be divided into two categories. They are as follows:

• Neutral Free Radicals

Because these free radicals do not have any charge attached to them, they have a much lower reactivity than the charged free radicals do.

• Charged Free Radicals

The free radicals that have been charged are extremely reactive and have a high ability to mix with the other components and constituents of the system. These free radicals can have a positive or negative effect on the body.

What is the source of free radicals?

Free radicals are produced by the metabolic processes that appear to be expected in the body from time to time. These metabolic processes are absolutely necessary and required by the body, and therefore, their complete eradication would be impossible and harmful to the body’s health.

Free radicals can also enter the body through external sources such as X-rays, cigarette smoking, and other similar activities.

Because of this, free radicals in the bodies of living organisms cause rapid combinations with the other components and also cause large reaction chains to form as a result of their presence. These radicals react with every molecule in a very short period of time, and these reactions are specifically referred to as ‘oxidation reactions’ in living things, particularly humans.

What exactly are free radicals in food?

Some specific foods contain a significant amount of free radicals, which can be harmful to your health. The following are some examples of these foods:

• High Glycemic Foods

The high-glycemic foods that are currently available on the market are a very active source of free radicals, and consuming them can provide you with a significant amount of free radical benefits.

• Meats that have been processed

Meat products that have been processed, such as sausages, salami, and bacon, are high in free radicals, and it is for this reason that these foods should be consumed in large quantities if you want to increase the number of free radicals in your system.

Free radicals can cause significant damage to your body at times, but they can also be a valuable and necessary component of your body’s overall health in other situations. If you actively contributed to increasing the number of free radicals in your body by consuming high-nutrient foods, this would be beneficial to you.

The Characteristics of Free Radicals

Many different characteristics of free radicals can be listed with brief explanations as follows-

• Instability

Because of the unstable nature of free radicals, they can attract and combine with any chemical component with relative ease and without restriction.

• Extremely High Reactivity

With such high reactivity of free radicals, the environment becomes available and open for the other components to join and merge with the free radicals as well. The above characteristics of free radicals distinguish them as distinct and beneficial to people both within their own bodies and from any other external source. To combine with the other free components present in your body, free radicals perform their primary and most important task of oxidation. The free radicals produced during this process have the potential to accelerate the progression of heart disease and other minor disorders.

Most stable carbocation:

the triphenylmethyl cation, (C6H5)3C+ is stable because it has many resonance structures.

Conclusion:

In general, molecules contain bonding electron pairs, whereas lone pairs contain either a non-bonding electron pair or an electron pair that has not been shared. According to Pauli’s exclusion principle, each bonding or non-bonding electron pair consists of two electrons with opposite spin orientations, +1/2 and -1/2, in a single orbital, whereas an unpaired electron consists of a single electron, alone in a single orbital, as defined above. A molecule with an unpaired electron is referred to as a free radical, and it is classified as a paramagnetic species.