ACID &BASE Lesson

THEORIES 1:Bronsted/Lowry
Theory of Acids and
Bases
OBJECTIVES
Define a Brønsted–Lowry acid as a proton/H+ donor and a Brønsted–Lowry
base is a proton/H+ acceptor.
State that an amphiprotic species can act as both Brønsted–Lowry acids and
bases.
Distinguish between a pair of species differing by a single proton as a
conjugate acid-base pair.
BRONSTED/LOWRY THEORY OF
ACIDS AND BASES

Danish chemist Bronsted + English chemist Lowry independently

proposed new definitions for an acid and a base

These simply state that:

Acid is hydrogen-ion donor (H+ or proton)

Base is hydrogen-ion acceptor.

Acids and bases always come in pairs.

BRØNSTED-LOWRY

EX:-
HCl When it dissolves in water, it gives it’s proton to
water.

HCl(g) + H2O(l) ↔ H3O+(aq) + Cl-(aq)

to understand this reaction watch the hydrogen atom of

HCl.
CONSIDER THIS
When hydrogen chloride is added to water the following
reaction occurs

HCl + H2O H3O+ + Cl-

Because this Because this

donates a accepts a
proton it is proton it is
a B/L acid a B/L base
CONSIDER THIS
When ammonia gas dissolves in water the following
reaction occurs

NH3 + H2O NH4 + +

OH-

Accept Donate
sa sa
proton proton
B/L B/L
base acid
IMPORTANT NOTE
Water can act as either an acid or a base

for this reason is known as Amphoteric or

Amphiprotic
IDENTIFY THE B/L ACID IN THE
FOLLOWING EQUATION

In the following reaction between Hydrogen chloride and

Ammonia

HCl + NH3 NH4+ + Cl-

THE BRØNSTED-LOWRY
MODEL
NOTE
An acid will only donate a proton when there is
something there to accept it

A base will only accept a proton if there is something

there to donate it
THE BRØNSTED-
LOWRY MODEL
CONJUGATE ACID-BASE PAIR
 When an acid donates its proton, the remaining part of the acid is called the
conjugate base of that acid.
THE BRØNSTED-
LOWRY MODEL
CONJUGATE ACID-
BASE PAIR
 Also, when a base accepts a proton, the remaining part of the base is called the
conjugate acid of that base.
 THE BRØNSTED-LOWRY
MODEL CONJUGATE ACID-
BASE PAIR
Hence,
together the acid and its conjugate base are known as an
conjugate acid-base pair.
The same thing apply on a base and its conjugate acid.
IDENTIFY B/L ACID-BASE
PAIRS IN THE FOLLOWING
EQUATIONS
CH3COOH + H2O CH3COO- + H3O+

CH3COO- + H3O+ CH3COOH +

H2O
DETERMINE THE ACID, BASE,
CONJUGATE ACID AND CONJUGATE
BASE!

1). 𝐻𝐶𝑙 𝑎𝑞 + 𝑁𝑎𝑂𝐻 𝑎𝑞 → 𝑁𝑎𝐶𝑙 𝑎𝑞 + 𝐻2𝑂 𝑎𝑞

2). 𝐻2𝑆𝑂4 + 𝐻2𝑂 → 𝐻3𝑂+ + 𝐻𝑆𝑂−4

THE BRØNSTED-
LOWRY MODEL
SUMMARY
1) An acid donates a proton and becomes a
conjugate base.
2) A base accepts a proton and becomes a
conjugate acid.
3) Ampholytes are substances that can behave
either as an acid or a base