What is the difference between water and hydrogen peroxide?

1 Answer
Dec 19, 2016

Well, look at their compositions..........

Explanation:

On the one hand you have water, #H_2O#, and on the other hand you have hydrogen peroxide, #H-O-O-H#, with a peroxo bond. Because this #O-O# is fairly weak, hydrogen peroxide is a reactive species and readily forms hydroperoxyl radicals, #HO*#, that go on to react with other substituents.

What are the formal oxidation states of oxygen in each of the 2 compounds.