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Which of the following is a Lewis acid but not a Brønsted-Lowry acid?

1) HCl
2) H₂O
3) BF₃
4) NH₃

User Swalk
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1 Answer

6 votes

Final answer:

BF₃ is a Lewis acid but not a Brønsted-Lowry acid. HCl, H₂O, and NH₃ can act as both Lewis acids and Brønsted-Lowry acids.

Step-by-step explanation:

The Lewis definition of an acid is a substance that can accept an electron pair, while the Brønsted-Lowry definition of an acid is a substance that can donate a proton. Based on these definitions, a Lewis acid that is not a Brønsted-Lowry acid is BF₃. This is because BF₃ can accept an electron pair from a base, but it cannot donate a proton. The other options (HCl, H₂O, and NH₃) can all act as both Lewis acids and Brønsted-Lowry acids.

User Gotjosh
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