« previous next »

Author Question: How is -OH formed and what happens to the missing oxygen valence electron? (Read 560 times)

clippers!

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 828
on: Sep 20, 2013
Oxygen has 6 valence electrons, leaving 2 that are free to bind covalently with another atom.  Hydrogen has 1 valence electron.  The 1 hydrogen electron can combine with one of the 2 free oxygen electrons.

This now leaves 1 free oxygen electron.  But at this point, the octet rule is not fulfilled.  What happens to that missing spot for the 8th and final electron in oxygen's valence shell?  Doesn't it have to bind with something?
Paul, you are starting with the hydroxide ion already formed.  But I am asking how does it get formed in the first place by a pairing of O and H?


camila

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 705
Reply #1 on: Sep 20, 2013
The key here is that we are working with the hydroxide anion. Because of hydroxide's -1 charge, it bears an extra electron in its structure; it is this extra electron that pairs with the other free oxygen electron to occupy that final valence slot.


Related Topics

Need homework help now?

Ask unlimited questions for free

Ask a Question
« previous next »
 

Did you know?

There are immediate benefits of chiropractic adjustments that are visible via magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). It shows that spinal manipulation therapy is effective in decreasing pain and increasing the gaps between the vertebrae, reducing pressure that leads to pain.

Did you know?

Though newer “smart” infusion pumps are increasingly becoming more sophisticated, they cannot prevent all programming and administration errors. Health care professionals that use smart infusion pumps must still practice the rights of medication administration and have other professionals double-check all high-risk infusions.

Did you know?

The lipid bilayer is made of phospholipids. They are arranged in a double layer because one of their ends is attracted to water while the other is repelled by water.

Did you know?

The first successful kidney transplant was performed in 1954 and occurred in Boston. A kidney from an identical twin was transplanted into his dying brother's body and was not rejected because it did not appear foreign to his body.

Did you know?

Chronic necrotizing aspergillosis has a slowly progressive process that, unlike invasive aspergillosis, does not spread to other organ systems or the blood vessels. It most often affects middle-aged and elderly individuals, spreading to surrounding tissue in the lungs. The disease often does not respond to conventionally successful treatments, and requires individualized therapies in order to keep it from becoming life-threatening.

The human oxygen-hemoglobin dissociation curve. The human oxygen-hemoglobin dissociation curve.
Electron transport chain Electron transport chain
Erythrocytes contain large amounts of the oxygen-transporting protein Erythrocytes contain large amounts of the oxygen-transporting protein
Electron Photomicrograph Electron Photomicrograph
Colored scanning electron micrograph (SEM) of a helper T cell (green) with HIV viruses (red) budding ... Colored scanning electron micrograph (SEM) of a helper T cell (green) with HIV viruses (red) budding ...
Electron configuration and how many electrons are needed to achieve the nearest noble-gas ... Electron configuration and how many electrons are needed to achieve the nearest noble-gas ...
Video: Digestion Animation

For a complete list of videos, visit our video library