How do you identify Bronsted-Lowry acids and bases?

1 Answer
reudhreghs
Apr 20, 2016

Acids drop protons (#H^+#), and bases pick them up.

Explanation:

Bronsted-Lowry theory states that an acid is a molecule that drops #H^+# ions (protons), and a base picks them up again.

For example, in the reaction

#HCl+H_2O->Cl^(-)+H_3O^+#

the hydrochloric acid drops the hydrogen proton, while water picks it up. This means #HCl# acts as an acid and #H_2O# acts as a base.

After the reaction you then have a #Cl^-# ion which can pick up protons, so this is known as a conjugate base, and #H_3O^+# has a new propensity to drop protons, and so is a conjugate acid.

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