Why do H+ ions not react with the atoms/molecules they're originally bonded to?

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In summary, when HCl is dissolved in water, the H+ and Cl- ions do not react with each other. This is because the HCl molecule dissociates in water due to hydration, leading to a very small amount of undissociated HCl. This dissociation process is governed by the dissociation constant (Ka), which is very large for HCl.
  • #1
wasteofo2
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If you dissolve HCl in solution, the why do the H+ and the Cl- not react with one another? The H+ will react with any metal, will react with OH-, will react with your skin for sure, along with many other things, but why does it seem to just ignore a perfectly good negative ion that is in the exact same concentration as it is.
 
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  • #2
But it DOES. You have to remember this is hydrogen chloride gas IN solution, which allows Dissociation of the HCl molecule due to Hydration.
 
  • #3
Yeah, better to think of it as the HCl molecule reacts with water to dissociate the two.
 
  • #4
Hydrogen chloride dissociates in water

[tex]HCl \leftrightarrow H^+ + Cl^-[/tex]

dissociation constant for this reaction is

[tex]K_a = \frac {[H^+][Cl^-]} {[HCl]}[/tex]

pKa = -4 (see pKa tables at ChemBuddy).

So in every solution of hydrochloric acid you may expect minute amounts of undissociated HCl - but as the Ka constant is large, these will be VERY minute.
 

1. Why don't H+ ions react with the atoms/molecules they're originally bonded to?

Hydrogen ions (H+) are positively charged and therefore highly reactive. However, they do not typically react with the atoms or molecules they are originally bonded to because they have already lost their outermost electron, making them stable and unreactive.

2. How do H+ ions become unreactive?

When an atom of hydrogen loses its outermost electron, it becomes a hydrogen ion (H+). This loss of an electron results in a positive charge, making the ion highly reactive. However, the positively charged ion can become unreactive by forming a bond with another atom or molecule, effectively neutralizing its charge.

3. Can H+ ions react with other atoms/molecules?

Yes, H+ ions can react with other atoms or molecules that are negatively charged or have a lone pair of electrons. These reactions can result in the formation of new chemical compounds.

4. Why are H+ ions important in chemical reactions?

H+ ions play a crucial role in many chemical reactions. They can act as catalysts, speeding up reactions by providing a positive charge that can attract negatively charged reactants. They can also participate in acid-base reactions, where they donate their proton (H+) to a base, forming a new chemical compound.

5. How do H+ ions affect the pH of a solution?

As H+ ions are highly reactive and can easily form bonds with other substances, their presence can greatly affect the pH of a solution. In water, H+ ions can combine with H2O molecules to form H3O+ ions, which are responsible for the acidity of a solution. The more H+ ions present, the lower the pH will be.

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