Question

When water and hydroxide approach, will the two oxygen atoms attract or repel one another? They will attract by bonding like the oxygens in hydrogen peroxide, h-o-o-h. They will attract because they both carry negative charges. They will repel because they both carry negative charges. They will repel because atoms of the same element always repel?

Answer 1

They will repel because they both carry negative charges.

Step-by-step explanation:

When water approaches hydroxide ions, the oxygen atoms will repel each other. Water on its own is a polar covalent compound. It has a positive and negative end.

Hydroxide is radical that is negatively charged. It consists of oxygen and hydrogen atoms.

The like charges on the oxygen atom will repel one another as a general rule of attraction. The oxygen will have more affinity for the hydrogen.