One water molecule gains a hydrogen and therefore takes on a positive charge, while the other water molecule loses a hydrogen atom and therefore becomes negatively charged. H 3O + is called a hydronium ion, and it makes things acidic. OH - is called a hydroxyl ion and it makes things basic.
Is hydroxyl a base?
Hydroxide is a diatomic anion with chemical formula OH−. It consists of an oxygen and hydrogen atom held together by a single covalent bond, and carries a negative electric charge. It is an important but usually minor constituent of water. It functions as a base, a ligand, a nucleophile, and a catalyst.
Is a hydroxyl group basic or acidic?
Non-acidic Functional Groups
The hydroxyl, which is simply an OH attached to the molecule, could conceivably lose it's hydrogen, making it acidic, but that is not how the molecule normally interacts.
