Shouldn't it be H3O+ ?Quote from zaneaussie on September 27th, 2013, 04:39 AM Great observation Farrah and that makes perfect sense. How can we go about producing this stuff in abundance..any ideas?Quote from Farrah Day on September 27th, 2013, 04:35 AM In fact hydronium makes far more sense. It is the correct atomic mass and being an ion it would be a plasma in gaseous state. Also of course it is a species that is prevalent within the water during electrolysis.
I think this could be an important discovery..if browns gas is indeed hydronium!
Its connecting a proton (H+) to a watermolecule, how would a watermolecule accept that? I think when its had a shock of negativity and a loose H+ is nearby.
Negativity it could feel when the two arms of H+ don't cover it well enough, maybe when they get stretched to 180 degrees or more together. Then there is an area where the kernel doesn't feel their presence and attaches another H+
(atoms are just like little children?..lol)
When the water molecule ionises it forms H+ and OH-, a proton and the hydroxyl ion. The proton does not move through the water like the OH- does, it is far too reactive. Instead it joins the nearest water molecule, which then becomes H3O+ and effectively hops from one water molecule to the next until it reaches the cathode. So in effect you have water molecules flitting between being H2O and H3O+ as the proton works its way to the cathode. Of course it may not necessarily be the same proton leaving the water molecule that entered. So in the water, a proton moves more akin to an electron in a solid conductor. It is known as the Grotthuss mechanism.
