Q3E - Chemistry (OpenStax)

Question

Question: Show by suitable net ionic equations that each of the following species can act as a Bronsted-Lowry acid: (a) \({H_3}{O^ + }\)(b) \(HCl\) (c)\(N{H_3}\)(d) \(C{H_3}C{O_2}H\) (e) \(NH_4^ + \)(f) \(HSO_4^ - \)

Step-by-Step Solution

Answer

All the given six species act as a Bronsted-lowry acid as all these species donates a proton (\({H^ + }\)) to another molecule. The required equations are as follows

1.  
2. \(HCl \to {H^ + } + C{l^ - }\)
3. \(N{H_3} \to NH_2^ -  + {H^ + }\)
4. \(C{H_3}C{O_2}H \to C{H_3}CO_2^ -  + {H^ + }\)
5. \(NH_4^ +  \to N{H_3} + {H^ + }\)
6. \(HSO_4^ -  \to {H^ + } + SO_4^{2 - }\)

Step 1: Define the Bronsted-Lowry acid concept

The concept states that any compound that can transfer a proton to any other compound is an acid. In other words, the proton donor in a chemical reaction is a Bronsted-Lowry acid.

Step 2: Ionic equations showing the given species as Bronsted-Lowry acid.

a.

b.  \(HCl\)

\(\begin{array}{c}Conjugate\,acid\, \to \Pr oton + Base\\HCl \to \,\,\,\,\,\,\,{H^ + }\,\,\,\,\,\, + \,\,\,\,\,C{l^ - }\end{array}\)

 

c.  \(N{H_3}\)

\(\begin{array}{c}Conjugate\,acid\, \to \Pr oton + Base\\N{H_3} \to \,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,NH_2^ -  + \,\,\,\,\,{H^ + }\end{array}\)

 

 d.   \(C{H_3}C{O_2}H\)

 

 

  e.    \(NH_4^ + \)

\(\begin{array}{c}Conjugate\,acid\, \to \Pr oton + Base\\NH_4^ +  \to \,\,\,\,\,\,\,N{H_3}\,\,\, + \,\,\,\,\,{H^ + }\end{array}\)

 

   f.    \(HSO_4^ - \)

\(\begin{array}{c}Conjugate\,acid\, \to \Pr oton + Base\\HSO_4^ -  \to \,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,{H^ + } + SO_4^{2 - }\end{array}\)

From the above net ionic equations, it is observed that each of the species donates a proton (\({H^ + }\)). So, all of the above species act as Bronsted-Lowry acid.