Hello! Thank you for stopping by again for another chemistry related post. Today I'll be discussing the Hydronium Ion.
Why you should understand what the hydronium ion is:
Understanding how water becomes acidic is very important to acid-base chemistry. The hydronium ion significantly impacts the acidity of a solution.
Key Ideas
- Hydronium versus Hydrogen
- How hydronium and hydrogen ions behave in solution
Hydronium versus Hydrogen
Many people who haven't dug into the weeds of chemistry have no idea what hydronium is. This is completely understand able given how chemists typically talk about (or don't) hydronium.
Hydronium is a molecule which is responsible for creating an acidic environment. Hydrogen ions are also considered to be responsible for creating an acidic environment. However, there are significant differences between these two compounds.
Hydronium is a molecule while hydrogen ions are simply atoms. Because hydronium is a molecule which has multiple atoms bound to each-other, it is more stable.
Hydrogen ions are less stable because they are a single atom with a positive charge. This makes it very likely that other molecules or atoms with a negative charge will grab a lone hydrogen ion.
Note: both hydronium and hydrogen ions are very reactive. However, when comparing the two, hydrogen ions are more reactive than hydronium.
How hydronium and hydrogen ions behave in solution
Typically, chemists write the acidic ion in solution as simply H+. However, in water, H+ ions cannot exist.
In solution, meaning water, a lone hydrogen ion will quickly be snatched up. Water will act as a base and accept any lone hydrogen ions in solution. This creates the hydronium ion. Both the hydronium ion and hydrogen ion's are measures of acidity in solution, however hydronium ion is a better representation of the "acidic ion" present. The Hydronium ion then holds onto the hydrogen ion until it is donated to a base.
Instead of thinking as hydrogen ions as measures of acidity, I think its better to think of hydrogen ions as the currency of acid/base reactions.
Summary
- Hydronium is a molecule which is responsible for creating an acidic environment. Hydrogen ions are also considered to be responsible for creating an acidic environment.
- In solution water will act as a base and accept any lone hydrogen ions in solution. This creates the hydronium ion.
- Hydrogen ions are the currency of acid/base reactions.
I hope you've found this post on the hydronium ion insightful. If you have any questions feel free to comment below or message me. Additionally, I've attached my Youtube Video on Hydronium ions below for your viewing.
- Saren
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