Acids in Water

[MMorcus2E]

Hey! When acids, like HCl, react with H2O, why does the H from HCl react with the O from H2O instead of the Cl interacting with the H from H2O? Is it because O is more electronegative than Cl or is there another reason?

[Hazelle Gunawan 3G]

I'm not sure, but generally Cl is considered to be more electronegative than O.

[Katherine_Douglas_1F]

I believe that the H+ reacts with H2O rather than the Cl- because Cl- is more electronegative and negatively charged. When an acid such as HCL mixes with water, the H+ is bonding with one of the lone pairs on the oxygen in the water molecule to form H3O+. Cl- is more electronegative and is, therefore, more likely to take an electron than share one.

[Nicole Bruno Dis 1B]

Because Cl- is more electronegative, it will not share an electron with H+ in order to form a stable H2O bond.