Hydroxide ion
Hydroxide Ion
The Hydroxide Ion (pronounced: hy-drox-ide ion) is a negatively charged molecule, consisting of one oxygen atom and one hydrogen atom (OH-). It is an important constituent in many chemical reactions, particularly in acid-base reactions in chemistry and biology.
Etymology
The term "Hydroxide" is derived from the Greek words 'hydro' meaning water and 'ide' which is a suffix used in chemistry to indicate a binary compound of an element.
Properties
Hydroxide ions have a charge of -1. They are typically found in aqueous solution, where they can act as a base by accepting a proton (H+) from an acid to form water. This property is fundamental to many processes in chemistry and biology, including neutralization reactions and the maintenance of pH.
Related Terms
- Base (chemistry): A substance that can accept protons or donate a pair of valence electrons. Hydroxide ions are a common example of a base.
- Acid: A substance that can donate protons or accept a pair of valence electrons. In an acid-base reaction, an acid reacts with a base like a hydroxide ion.
- pH: A measure of the hydrogen ion concentration in a solution. Hydroxide ions can affect the pH of a solution by reacting with hydrogen ions.
- Neutralization (chemistry): A reaction between an acid and a base to form a salt and water. Hydroxide ions often participate in neutralization reactions.
This WikiMD.org article is a stub. You can help make it a full article.