Question

Which of the following statements is true?

(a) An acid is a proton (H+) acceptor
(b) A base is a proton (H+) acceptor
(c) Water is always acid
(d) A base is a proton (H+) donor

Answer 1

According to the Brønsted-Lowry theory, a base is a proton acceptor (H+). Water can act as a base when it accepts a proton from an acid in a reaction.

Step-by-step explanation:

According to the Brønsted-Lowry theory, an acid is a proton (H+) donor, and a base is a proton (H+) acceptor. Water can act as both an acid and a base, depending on the reaction.

For example, in the reaction HCl(g) + H₂O(1) → Cl¯ (aq) + H₂O+ (aq), HCl is an acid because it donates a proton to water, making water act as a base by accepting the proton.

Therefore, the correct statement is (b) A base is a proton (H+) acceptor.