Question

An acid dissociates in water to release

A) anion(s).
B) hydrogen ion(s).
C) cation(s).
D) hydroxyl group(s).
E) both anions and hydrogen ions.

Answer 1

Acids dissociate in water to release hydrogen ions (H+) and anions. The chemical reaction between an acid and water exemplifies the formation of hydronium ions.

Step-by-step explanation:

An acid dissociates in water to release hydrogen ions (H+) and anions. When an acid is dissolved in water, it undergoes a chemical reaction where hydrogen ions are transferred from the acid to water molecules, producing hydronium ions (H3O+). This is demonstrated by the dissociation of hydrogen chloride in water:

HCl(aq) + H2O(aq) → Cl− (aq) + H3O+ (aq)

While this reaction can be simplified to show the dissociation as:

HC1(g) → H+ (aq) + Cl− (aq)

It's important to note that any hydrogen ions in an aqueous solution will actually attach to water molecules, forming hydronium ions.