15.3 : Definitions of Acids and Bases THE ARRHENIUS DEFINITION: An Arrhenius Acid is a substance that produces H+ ions. HCl (aq) H+(aq) + Cl -(aq) An Arrhenius Base is a substance that produces OH- ions. NaOH (aq) Na +(aq) + OH - (aq) THE BRONSTED-LOWRY DEFINITION: A Bronsted-Lowry Acid is a proton donor. HCl (aq) + H2O (l) H3O+(aq) + Cl -(aq)*The HCl is donating an H+ ion to H2O, which makes it the acid. Thewater is accepting that proton from HCl, making it the base. A Bronsted-Lowry Base is a proton acceptor. NH3 (aq) + H2O (l) NH4+(aq) + OH -(aq)*The NH3 is accepting an H+ ion from H2O, which makes it the base. The water is donating that proton to NH3, making it the base. Water is an Amphoteric Substance: a substance that can act as an acid or a base, depending on what it comes in contact with. In an acid-base reaction, the acid is converted into a conjugate base, and the base is converted into a conjugate acid. In simpler terms, the conjugate base is what the acid will become in the products after it reacts, and the conjugate acid iswhat the base will become in the products after it reacts. *These are known as conjugate
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