54.8k views
3 votes
Where do most of the H⁺ ions come from?

User Dolftax
by
8.0k points

1 Answer

5 votes

Final answer:

Most H+ ions come from the dissociation of water molecules, but stronger acids can also contribute a significant amount of H+ ions.

Step-by-step explanation:

In most cases, the majority of H+ ions, also known as hydrogen ions, come from the dissociation (ionization) of water molecules. When water molecules dissociate, they form equal numbers of H+ ions and hydroxide (OH-) ions. The H+ ions then attract to un-ionized water molecules, forming hydronium ions (H3O+).

For weak acids, where the concentration of the acid is high, the amount of H+ ions from water may be very small compared to the amount from the acid.

In summary, most H+ ions come from the dissociation of water molecules, but for strong acids, the majority of H+ ions come from the acid itself.

User Elvis Chweya
by
8.2k points