this post was submitted on 17 Jul 2025
797 points (98.4% liked)

Science Memes

15838 readers
1504 users here now

Welcome to c/science_memes @ Mander.xyz!

A place for majestic STEMLORD peacocking, as well as memes about the realities of working in a lab.



Rules

  1. Don't throw mud. Behave like an intellectual and remember the human.
  2. Keep it rooted (on topic).
  3. No spam.
  4. Infographics welcome, get schooled.

This is a science community. We use the Dawkins definition of meme.



Research Committee

Other Mander Communities

Science and Research

Biology and Life Sciences

Physical Sciences

Humanities and Social Sciences

Practical and Applied Sciences

Memes

Miscellaneous

founded 2 years ago
MODERATORS
 
top 28 comments
sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[–] bdonvr@thelemmy.club 37 points 1 day ago (1 children)

I think de-ionize or de-ionized/de-ionization is the proper term.

[–] BreadOven@lemmy.world 25 points 1 day ago* (last edited 13 hours ago) (1 children)

As a chemist, I somewhat agree. If something was becoming not ionized, I'd say deionization. But generally I'd go with non-ionized.

Edit: I was pretty tired when I posted the original message. But after looking back, if something was non-ionized, I'd probably just say "neutral", since it probably doesn't have a charge.

[–] Lemminary@lemmy.world 12 points 1 day ago (1 children)

I agree with the professional chemist.

[–] cdf12345@lemmy.zip 10 points 1 day ago

As a plumber, I respectfully disagree.

[–] Arghblarg@lemmy.ca 29 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Ironically, ionized particles tend to stick together (trying to become neutrally-charged) whereas unionized particles tend not to interact as strongly; so a group of chemists 'binding' together to form a union would actually be 'ionized' not 'unionized' ... metaphorically :p

[–] zergtoshi@lemmy.world 10 points 1 day ago (2 children)

While ionized particles stick to other things, they do not really stick together - at least if they are the same type of particles or rather carry the same type of charge, respectively.

society is a material held together by the attraction between male and female, and that's how we build a community or sth

[–] D_C@sh.itjust.works 8 points 1 day ago

Listen, I DIDN'T COME HERE TO BE EDUCATED...but I'm enjoying it. Carry on.

[–] some_guy@lemmy.sdf.org 30 points 1 day ago (3 children)
[–] ValiantDust@feddit.org 122 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Union-ized as in forming a union vs un-ionized as in not ionized

[–] some_guy@lemmy.sdf.org 18 points 1 day ago (1 children)
[–] captainlezbian@lemmy.world 1 points 18 hours ago

Also for additional context, plumbers are frequently in unions and chemists aren't (at least in America where the Webster dictionary is the dialectic expert)

[–] Daryl76679@lemmy.ml 34 points 1 day ago

The chemist will pronounce it un-ionized, while the plumber will pronounce it union-ized

[–] Melatonin@lemmy.dbzer0.com 8 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Are you a scientist or a plumber?

[–] WhyIHateTheInternet@lemmy.world 23 points 1 day ago (1 children)
[–] Melatonin@lemmy.dbzer0.com 9 points 1 day ago (3 children)
  1. You'n-yun-ized
  2. Un-ion-ized
[–] 1Malayali@lemmy.ml 2 points 19 hours ago* (last edited 19 hours ago)

You'n-yun

Unintended Yuyun nod?
img

[–] moosetwin@lemmy.dbzer0.com 6 points 1 day ago

onionization achieved

[–] WhyIHateTheInternet@lemmy.world 5 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Yeah I know, the guy you replied to his name is some guy

[–] Melatonin@lemmy.dbzer0.com 4 points 1 day ago

But I'm not smart, so my reply makes sense

[–] tatterdemalion@programming.dev 5 points 1 day ago (1 children)
[–] lauha@lemmy.world 6 points 1 day ago (2 children)

Unionized means particles without charge, i.e. particles with same amount of electrons and protons.

Deionized is something that once had ions and through some process those ions lost their charge.

Correct me if I'm wrong. I am not a chemist

[–] tatterdemalion@programming.dev 2 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

No clue, also not a chemist. I would probably just say "atom" or "neutral molecule" instead.

I might even say non-ionized.

[–] Melatonin@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 points 1 day ago

I dunno if it's right, but I like it 👍

[–] wholesomescott@lemmy.world 7 points 1 day ago

Haha this made me laugh.

[–] then_three_more@lemmy.world 3 points 1 day ago

Aren't most plumbers shelf employed though?

[–] painteddoggie@lemmy.world 3 points 1 day ago (1 children)
[–] Melatonin@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 points 1 day ago

Is the UA as good as the IBEW? I mean, I guess you're only one so you can't compare yourself to the other.

Relevant