What is Hydronium

Reactions in water often involve a ubitiquous species known as hydronium (H3O+). Is hydronium properly described as an isolated ion, or at the other extreme, as a proton dissolved in water  

Examine electrostatic potential maps for free hydronium and for hydronium complexed to three and nine water molecules hydronium+3 water and hydronium+9 water, respectively). What happens to the positive charge as more and more water molecules are involved Rationalize your result. 

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