Why does hydroxide have a negative charge

Basic or alkaline things taste soapy. Strong acids are corrosive and strong bases are caustic; both can cause severe skin damage that feels like a burn. However, mild acids and bases are common and relatively harmless to us. What makes a substance acidic or basic?

The following equation is a good place to start:. We begin with two water molecules, and move some hydrogen atoms around. One water molecule gains a hydrogen and therefore takes on a positive charge, while the other water molecule loses a hydrogen atom and therefore becomes negatively charged. OH - is called a hydroxyl ion and it makes things basic. However, in water, there is a balance between hydroniums and hydroxyls so they cancel each others' charges.

Pure water is neither acidic or basic; it is neutral. So how does something become acidic or basic? That happens when the hydroniums and the hydroxyls are out of balance. If there are more positively charged hydroniums than negatively charged hydroxyls, then the substance is acidic.

If there are more negatively charged hydroxyls than positively charged hydroniums, then the substance becomes basic. Watch out for that, and ask for clarification! Asked 1 year ago.

Active 1 year ago. Viewed times. Improve this question. Greg Greg 1. The charge is for the overall molecule. There are 10 electrons in this ion. Add a comment. Active Oldest Votes. It will have three pairs of electrons surrounding it, and it will participate in a covalent bond with hydrogen, satisfying the octet rule: If you look at the bond in this picture, you will notice that it changes color half way through. Improve this answer.

Benzene enthusiast Benzene enthusiast 51 6 6 bronze badges. In this OH or HO bond, neither atom has lost an electron. No tug of war has been won or lost. Some might argue that oxygen might be pulling hydrogen's electron a bit closer to itself for a few physical reasons, and hence 'winning' - but the match has not ended, so no one can be declared a winner or loser, a taker of electrons, hence no charge, as a prize or show of strength , can yet be denoted.

Oxygen would have seven electrons in its orbital flux aura, one away from having an octet and a complete shell. In this way I think that in theory we coukd see O I think this woukd refer to a single monatomic oxygen atom that has taken two extra electrons, and hence, will be somewhat stabke with a full outer shell.

It seems therefore, that when we see an atom or compound polyatimic molecule with a charge, we should be reminded to think of battle scars and spoils of war - that this atom or polyatom has a history of wars over electrons with other atoms and polyatoms, and its charge is a symbol of its current state of winnings or losings.

Some don't seem to even need to go to war. Noble gases have full outer shells before they have even gone to battle over electrons. They are sort of born into a position of abundance and luxury, though it may be lonely nonetheless. It is also pretty hard for other atoms to even get into a tug of war with a noble gas, let alone win.

I think this refers to the notion that this aluminium has lost 3 electrons. If so, it has lost 3 valence electrons to something or many things, at some point in the past.

It is quite stable having lost its valence electrons because only had 3, which means its valence electrons are now gone. Can it be made to react again then? Yes, I think so, but the chemistry eludes me.

The pseudo aspect might be that this stable state is not as strong as a real noble. This means it will have a slight tendency to pull in electrons and create a new shell that is not full, even though it has a full outer shell now.

I think the same is true of certain pseudo noble anions, in an opposite sense. Some pseudo noble anions might really be pretty stable though.

Same with some cations. I think it is pretty hard for cations or any atoms to steal electrons from non bonding non valence orbitals like inner ones. I think x rays might be able to temporarily knock out a inner core electron, but possibly not without causing a lot of energy to be released as well.

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Ask Question. Asked 8 years, 11 months ago. Active 8 months ago. Viewed 83k times. Improve this question.