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Which of the following species is amphoteric?

-CO3 2-
-NH4+
-LiI
-HPO4 2-
-HI

User Ayox
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1 Answer

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Final answer:

The amphoteric species among the given options is HPO4²-, which can act as both an acid and a base by either accepting or donating a proton.

Step-by-step explanation:

The question asks about the amphoteric nature of certain species. An amphoteric species is capable of acting as both an acid and a base. Among the given options - CO32-, NH4+, LiI, HPO42-, and HI - the compound that is amphoteric is HPO42-. This species can act as a Brønsted-Lowry base by accepting a proton from water to form H2PO4- and OH-, and can act as an acid by donating a proton to form PO43- and H2O, reflecting its amphiprotic character:

  • HPO42-(aq) + H2O(l) → H2PO4- + OH-(aq)
  • HPO42-(aq) + OH-(aq) → PO43- + H2O(l)
User Viktor Ivliiev
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