Iodide facts for kids
Iodide is a special kind of atom called an ion. It's made from the element iodine. Think of it like this: iodine is a building block, and iodide is that building block with an extra electron, giving it a negative charge. This negative charge is why it's called an "ion."
Iodide is very important for living things, especially humans. It's the usual way our bodies use iodine. You can find iodide in many compounds, like potassium iodide, which is often added to table salt.
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What is Iodide?
Iodide is an ion of iodine. This means it's an iodine atom that has gained an extra electron. When an atom gains an electron, it gets a negative electrical charge. We write its formula as I-, with the minus sign showing its negative charge.
Iodide is also known as a "weak reducing agent." This means it can easily give away its extra electron to other substances. When it does this, it changes back into iodine. For example, if iodide is exposed to oxygen, it can turn into iodine.
Why is Iodide Important for You?
Iodide is super important for your body to work properly! It's a dietary mineral, which means you need to get it from the food you eat.
The main reason your body needs iodide is to make thyroid hormones. These hormones are produced by your thyroid gland, a small gland in your neck. Thyroid hormones control many important things in your body, like:
- How fast your body uses energy (your metabolism).
- How your body grows and develops.
- How your brain develops, especially when you are young.
If you don't get enough iodide, your thyroid gland might not be able to make enough thyroid hormones. This can lead to health problems.
Where Can You Find Iodide?
Iodide is naturally present in many places, especially in the ocean and in foods that come from the sea.
- Seafood: Fish like cod, tuna, and haddock are good sources. Shellfish like shrimp and oysters also contain iodide.
- Seaweed: Different types of seaweed, like kelp and nori, are very rich in iodide.
- Dairy Products: Milk, yogurt, and cheese can contain iodide, partly because of the iodide in animal feed and cleaning solutions used in dairies.
- Eggs: Eggs are another source of iodide.
- Iodized Salt: To help people get enough iodide, many countries add potassium iodide to table salt. This is called "iodized salt." It's a simple way to make sure people get this important mineral in their diet.
Iodide in Daily Life
Besides being essential for your health, iodide has other uses:
- Medicine: Potassium iodide can be used in some medicines. For example, it can help protect the thyroid gland from certain types of radiation.
- Disinfectants: Some forms of iodine, which can be made from iodide, are used as disinfectants to kill germs.
- Photography: In the past, iodide compounds were used in traditional photography processes.
Iodide vs. Iodine
It's easy to get confused between "iodide" and "iodine." Here's the simple difference:
- Iodine is the pure element. It's a dark, shiny solid at room temperature.
- Iodide is the ion of iodine. It's an iodine atom that has gained an electron and has a negative charge (I-). This is the form that is most commonly found in water, in the ground, and in living organisms.
So, when you hear about iodine being important for your health, it's usually the iodide form that your body uses.
Related Elements
Iodide belongs to a group of elements called halogens. Other elements in this group are:
These elements are similar because they all tend to gain one electron to form an ion with a negative charge.
See also
In Spanish: Yoduro para niños
