Ion

An ion (/ˈaɪən, -ɒn/) is an atom or a molecule in which the total number of electrons is not equal to the total number of protons, giving the atom or molecule a net positive or negative electrical charge. Ions can be created, by either chemical or physical means, via ionization.

In chemical terms, if a neutral atom loses one or more electrons, it has a net positive charge and is known as a cation.

If an atom gains electrons, it has a net negative charge and is known as an anion.

An ion consisting of a single atom is an atomic or monatomic ion; if it consists of two or more atoms, it is a molecular or polyatomic ion. Because of their electric charges, cations and anions attract each other and readily form ionic compounds, such as salts.

In the case of physical ionization of a medium, such as a gas, what are known as "ion pairs" are created by ion impact, and each pair consists of a free electron and a positive ion.

History of discovery

The word ion is the Greek ἰόν, ion, "going", the present participle of ἰέναι, ienai, "to go". This term was introduced by English physicist and chemist Michael Faraday in 1834 for the then-unknown species that goes from one electrode to the other through an aqueous medium. Faraday did not know the nature of these species, but he knew that since metals dissolved into and entered a solution at one electrode, and new metal came forth from a solution at the other electrode, that some kind of substance moved through the solution in a current, conveying matter from one place to the other.

JPEG

JPEG (/ˈdʒeɪpɛɡ/ JAY-peg) is a commonly used method of lossy compression for digital images, particularly for those images produced by digital photography. The degree of compression can be adjusted, allowing a selectable tradeoff between storage size and image quality. JPEG typically achieves 10:1 compression with little perceptible loss in image quality.

JPEG compression is used in a number of image file formats. JPEG/Exif is the most common image format used by digital cameras and other photographic image capture devices; along with JPEG/JFIF, it is the most common format for storing and transmitting photographic images on the World Wide Web. These format variations are often not distinguished, and are simply called JPEG.

The term "JPEG" is an abbreviation for the Joint Photographic Experts Group, which created the standard. The MIME media type for JPEG is image/jpeg, except in older Internet Explorer versions, which provides a MIME type of image/pjpeg when uploading JPEG images. JPEG files usually have a filename extension of .jpg or .jpeg.

Ion (DC Comics)

Ion is a fictional character, a DC Comics superhero. Created by writer Judd Winick and artist Dale Eaglesham for Green Lantern vol. 3 #142, Ion was devised as the new superhero identity for Green Lantern protagonist Kyle Rayner. It was later revealed to be able to form mutualism with a host, bestowing its power to a host willingly. This followed a similar retcon as Parallax, originally the new supervillain alias of Hal Jordan, which was revealed to be a parasitic embodiment of fear in the 2004–2005 miniseries Green Lantern: Rebirth.

Fictional character biography

As soon as sentient beings developed willpower, Ion was born from the green wavelength of the so-called "emotional spectrum". Its existence has been kept a secret for eons, and it resided in the Central Battery on Oa to keep Parallax, the parasitic fear entity also imprisoned there, in check, as well as granting the Guardians of the Universe, Manhunters, The Green Glob, Halla's, and then The Green Lantern Corps a portion of its vast powers. After Hal Jordan, under the influences of Parallax and Sinestro, destroyed the Central Battery, Ion, along with Parallax and Sinestro, were set free. After wandering throughout the cosmos, it eventually settled within Kyle Rayner as its host.

Untold (horse)

Untold (23 March 1983 – 2005) was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare. As a two-year-old she showed very promising form, winning two of her three races including the Fillies' Mile. In the following year she was campaigned exclusively at Group One level and emerged as a top-class middle-distance performer and stayer. She finished second in the Epsom Oaks and third in the Irish Oaks before recording her biggest success in the Yorkshire Oaks. She finished third when matched against male opposition and made favourite for the St Leger before ending her career by finishing sixth in the Champion Stakes. She had little success as a dam of winners.

Background

Untold was a "robust, well-made, quite attractive" chestnut mare with a large white star and four white socks bred by her owner Robert Cowell at his Chevington Stud in Newmarket, Suffolk. She was one of the most successful horses sired by Final Straw whose wins included the Champagne Stakes, July Stakes and Greenham Stakes. Untold's dam Unsuspected was a successful racemare who won eight races between 1974 and 1976. As a broodmare she produced several other winners including Shoot Clear (Waterford Candelabra Stakes), Sally Brown (Yorkshire Oaks) and Mohican Girl (Gala Stakes). She lived until the exceptionally advanced age (for a Thoroughbred) of 36, dying in June 2008.