Discover the Science Behind Acidic Water Molecules | Innovations Report"

In summary, "When phenylboronic acid is then added to the methanol solution water molecules present in the methanolcoordinate with the boron Lewis acid and become more acidic. These more acidic water molecules can now protonate compounds 1 and 3 as well as compound 2."
  • #1
RJ Emery
113
6
Given the following article:

http://www.innovations-report.de/html/berichte/studien/bericht-96564.html [Broken]

What are "acidic water molecules"?
 
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  • #2
RJ Emery said:
Given the following article:

http://www.innovations-report.de/html/berichte/studien/bericht-96564.html [Broken]

What are "acidic water molecules"?
Well, if the water is dissociated into H and OH, I guess a preponderance of H would make it acidic. But that H is not a molecule.

I just went looking in wiki for pH and they talk about H3O+ as a sort of substitute for H, so maybe that's what they're talking about.
 
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  • #3
DaveC426913 said:
Well, if the water is dissociated into H and OH, I guess a preponderance of H would make it acidic. But that H is not a molecule.

I just went looking in wiki for pH and they talk about H3O+ as a sort of substitute for H, so maybe that's what they're talking about.

That formula, [tex] \[
H_3 O^{ + 1}
\]
[/tex], represents both an ion and a solvated proton; not a molecule
 
  • #4
What makes things acidic is H+ ions, right?

That's only correct to a certain extent. When we refer to H+ ions, we refer to the hydronium ion, H3O+ as some have said. This is what makes acidity. You can't have acidity without water. So you can have the most intense acid in the world, with a pH of 1 or something, but if you remove the water content from it, it will not be acidic.
 
  • #5
Just what the authors of the innovations report mean by acidic
water is not clear to me. To see one example of how the phrase
"acidic water molecules" is actually used by chemists, go to
http://www.rsc.org/ej/CC/2001/b103533a.pdf

Toward the end of the article you read:

"...When phenylboronic acid is then added to the
methanol solution water molecules present in the methanol
coordinate with the boron Lewis acid and become more
acidic. These more acidic water molecules can now
protonate compounds 1 and 3 as well as compound 2."

So, acidic water molecules are simply molecules of water
that can more easily give up a proton. Note that water is
not necessary to have an acid. An acid is a substance that can
take up an electron pair to form a covalent bond.
For example, boron trichloride (BF3) is
an acid and combines with such bases as ammonia or ethyl ether.
 
  • #6
Invictious said:
So you can have the most intense acid in the world, with a pH of 1 or something,
I think you meant 7.
 
  • #7
symbolipoint said:
That formula, [tex] \[
H_3 O^{ + 1}
\]
[/tex], represents both an ion and a solvated proton; not a molecule
I know it's an ion but isn't a molecule any combination of 2 or more atoms? Or have things changed since I was in H.S.?
 
  • #8
By far the most abundant interstellar polyatomic molecule aside from H2 is H3+. Since the proton affinity of H2 is extremely low, this abundant molecular ion is a strong acid and will protonate anything it comes across, including water. This produces the ion H3O+ which has a characteristic far infrared spectrum that can be observed with the proper equipment. This is what is meant by interstellar acidic water.

http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=1567864" [Broken] is a paper on the subject.
 
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  • #9
Invictious said:
What makes things acidic is H+ ions, right?

That's only correct to a certain extent. When we refer to H+ ions, we refer to the hydronium ion, H3O+ as some have said. This is what makes acidity. You can't have acidity without water. So you can have the most intense acid in the world, with a pH of 1 or something, but if you remove the water content from it, it will not be acidic.

Actually, the pH scale can be extrapolated into the negative range. There are reports of http://pubs.acs.org/cgi-bin/abstract.cgi/esthag/2000/34/i02/abs/es990646v.html" (superfund site) for example.

Of course, this is nothing compared to the strength of superacids. Search "George Olah" for more information on that subject.
 
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  • #10
chemisttree said:
Actually, the pH scale can be extrapolated into the negative range. There are reports of http://pubs.acs.org/cgi-bin/abstract.cgi/esthag/2000/34/i02/abs/es990646v.html" (superfund site) for example.
Amazing! And sometimes people struggle to find a way to buy some sulphuric acid; there is gratis!
 
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  • #11
If you don't mind all the heavy metals!
 

1. What is acidic water and why is it important to understand the science behind it?

Acidic water is water that has a pH level below 7. It is important to understand the science behind it because it can have both positive and negative effects on our health and the environment. By understanding the underlying science, we can better regulate and manage acidic water to prevent any harmful consequences.

2. How are water molecules able to become acidic?

Water molecules become acidic when they come into contact with certain substances, such as carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, or nitrogen oxides. These substances react with the water molecules, forming acidic compounds that lower the pH level of the water.

3. What are the potential health effects of consuming acidic water?

Drinking acidic water can have negative effects on our health, such as causing gastrointestinal issues, weakening tooth enamel, and aggravating respiratory conditions. It is important to monitor and regulate the pH level of our drinking water to maintain a healthy balance.

4. How does the acidity of water affect aquatic life?

The acidity of water can have a significant impact on aquatic life. High levels of acidity can be harmful to fish and other aquatic organisms, as it can disrupt their natural physiological processes. It can also affect the health of plants and other organisms in the water, leading to a disruption in the entire ecosystem.

5. Are there any solutions for reducing the acidity of water?

Yes, there are several methods for reducing the acidity of water. One common solution is to add a base, such as baking soda or lime, to neutralize the acidic compounds. Other methods include using ion exchange or reverse osmosis systems to filter out acidic substances from the water.

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