The Answer: Why Is Hydrogen Positive?

[FeDeX_LaTeX]

"Hydrogen Is Positive"

Hello;

My physics teacher said that hydrogen was positive. But, I don't understand why this is true. I thought hydrogen, like any other element, was electrically neutral (because it has 1 proton and 1 electron). So why is it positive?

Thanks.

 

[SpectraCat]

Hello;

My physics teacher said that hydrogen was positive. But, I don't understand why this is true. I thought hydrogen, like any other element, was electrically neutral (because it has 1 proton and 1 electron). So why is it positive?

Thanks.

Yeah .. hard to tell if that was just sloppy, or if there was a point he/she was trying to make. I cannot see what it would be though, if it was just about a free H-atom. If it's about the role H-atoms play in molecules, then it would make a little more sense, since H-atoms usually pick up a partial positive charge in molecules due to bond polarization. But still, it seems like an awfully sweeping generalization.

 

[Lambduh]

Is it possible that your teacher was talking about a molecule of water? H2O is a polar molecule and the positive side will be towards the hydrogen atoms.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polar_molecule

 

[FeDeX_LaTeX]

That's what makes water sticky isn't it? Because the hydrogen is positive in the water molecule which sticks to the oxygen atom in the water molecule because it is slightly negative.

Can you explain to me a bit more what bond polarization is?

 

[PJC01]

I can explain why hydrogen is considered a positive element. While it is true that hydrogen has one proton and one electron, the electron in hydrogen is not always present. In fact, it is often lost in chemical reactions, leaving behind a positively charged hydrogen ion (H+). This is because hydrogen has a relatively low ionization energy, meaning that it takes very little energy to remove its electron. This results in hydrogen having a net positive charge, making it a positive element. Additionally, the proton in hydrogen has a positive charge, contributing to its overall positive nature. I hope this helps clarify why hydrogen is considered positive.