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Which pair is not a conjugate acid-base pair?

-H3PO3; H3PO4
-H2PO4−; HPO4 2-
(CH3)3N; (CH3)3NH+

1 Answer

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Final answer:

The incorrect conjugate acid-base pair is H3PO3 and H3PO4, as they do not differ by a single proton and have distinct structures. The correct pairs are H2PO4− and HPO4 2−, as well as (CH3)3N and (CH3)3NH+.

Step-by-step explanation:

The pairs under discussion follow the principle that a conjugate acid is formed by the addition of a proton (H+) to a base, while a conjugate base is formed by the removal of a proton from an acid. Conjugate acid-base pairs differ by only one proton, and the charge changes accordingly.

The pair H3PO3 and H3PO4 is not a conjugate acid-base pair because H3PO3 cannot be formed simply by the removal of a proton from H3PO4; it is actually a different phosphorous oxyacid with a different structure. On the other hand, H2PO4− and HPO42− are a correct conjugate acid-base pair, as are (CH3)3N and (CH3)3NH+ where the latter is the conjugate acid and the former is the conjugate base.

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