Question #f4643

1 Answer
Jul 22, 2015

The bromide ion is clearly the weakest base, and, therefore, the least likely to accept a proton.

Explanation:

Consider conjugate acids of given species: hydrobromic acid; water; and hydrogen cyanide. HBr is clearly the strongest acid; which is equivalent to saying that bromide anion is the weakest base. On the other hand, hydroxide anion is the strongest base in water, and cyanide anion, the conjugate base of a weak acid, will undergo reaction with water to form HCN.