Question

Identify the Bronsted-Lowry acid and base in the reaction `"NH"_4^(+)(aq) + "H"_2"O"(l) -> "NH"_3(aq) + "H"_3"O"^(+)(aq)`? What is the conjugate base?

Answer 1

Well, for...

`"NH"_4^(+)(aq) + "H"_2"O"(l) -> "NH"_3(aq) + "H"_3"O"^(+)(aq)`,

the conjugate base has one less `"H"^(+)`. What has one less `"H"^(+)` than `"H"_3"O"^(+)`?

`"H"_3"O"^(+) - "H"^(+) = "H"_2"O"`

And in fact, water is amphoteric. What is the conjugate base of `"H"_2"O"` in...

`"H"_2"O"(l) + "CH"_3"COO"^(-)(aq) -> "CH"_3"COOH"(aq) + "OH"^(-)(aq)`?

Given that acetate, `"CH"_3"COO"^(-)`, is a weak base, will acetic acid be a weak or strong acid?