How does increasing the number of oxygen atoms bound to the central element y increase the strength of an oxyacid? view available hint(s) how does increasing the number of oxygen atoms bound to the central element y increase the strength of an oxyacid? the greater the number of oxygen atoms, the more like water the molecule becomes. water can be both an acid and a base. having more oxygen atoms bound to the central atom means there is less room for the hydrogen to bond, so the hydrogen is crowded and unstable, making it acidic. as the number of oxygen atoms goes up, so does the molar mass. higher molar mass leads to stronger intermolecular forces between molecules, which makes it easier to lose the hydrogen as a proton. the high electronegativity of oxygen draws electrons away from the bond to hydrogen, making the bond weaker and more polar.