-OH vs OH-

[Anya Holbrook 1E]

This doesn't really have anything to do with calculating pH, but why is it that sometimes in Dr. Lavelle's notes he put -OH instead of OH-? Don't charges on a molecule or ion go after the naming?

[Evie Li_1H]

I don't think it's that big of a deal whichever side you decide to put the charge on but, traditionally, the charge will come after the ion.

[IshanModiDis2L]

I believe the charge usually will come after the ion but I do not think it rly does matter too much. Only time I would really consider it is when drawing a structure.

[JaylinWangDis1L]

I was also a little confused on this at first but I think the placement of the negative sign doesn't really matter. It's usually written after the ion.

[Cooper_Geralds_3B]

Hi, I noticed the -OH in today's lecture as well and am used to seeing OH- in both his lectures and the homework, but I am pretty certain that they are the same!

[Ryan_Page_1J]

I have noticed that he uses them interchangeably as well.

[505352202]

It does not really matter. When he puts the - before like -OH, he is trying to emphasize that the oxygen is the atom with the negative charge and not the hydrogen.

I hope this helps!

[apurva-3E]

I don't think it matters.

[Brian Bui 3H]

Does not matter, but I think that he puts the negative charge on the O because that O has a formal charge of -1, which is typically indicated with just a negative sign.

[SamayaJoshi1A]

-OH and OH- are the same thing!

[Isabel_Eslabon_2G]

It's the same thing. In general, is how you'd normally write it when writing a chemical equation. is used more when writing diagrams or mechanisms to emphasize that the negative charge is from the oxygen, not the hydrogen.

[DPatel_2L]

They are the same thing!

[Linette Choi 3L]

I believe (OH-) is used more often but I think they mean the same thing.

[Katelynn Shaheen 2C]

It doesn't matter, -OH and OH- are the same thing in his lectures.