How would you identify the acid, base, conjugate acid and conjugate base in the following reaction: HCN + SO4^(2-) --> HSO4^(-) + CN^(-)?

1 Answer
anor277
Nov 22, 2015

Acid, hydrogen cyanide, "Prussic" acid; base, sulfate ion. The conjugate species is idenitified by proton addition OR removal.

Explanation:

Acid, #H-C-=N#; conjugate base, #N-=C^-#, cyanide anion.

Base, #SO_4^(2-)#, sulfate ion; conjugate acid. #HSO_4^-#.

The conjugate acid is simply the starting material PLUS a proton; the conjugate base is simply the starting material MINUS a proton. Both mass and charge are conserved. SO the conjugate base of sulfuric acid, #H_2SO_4#, is #HSO_4^-#, and the conjugate base of this anion is #SO_4^(2-)#.

What is the conjugate acid of sulfuric acid, #H_2SO_4#? I assure you that it exists.

Related questions
See all questions in Conjugate Acids and Conjugate Bases
Impact of this question
7242 views around the world
You can reuse this answer
Creative Commons License