Final answer:
Boric acid, H₃BO₃, is true to be classified as a Lewis acid, not a Brønsted-Lowry acid, because it acts by accepting an unshared pair of electrons from a Lewis base rather than donating protons.
Step-by-step explanation:
Boric acid, H₃BO₃, is often referred to as a Lewis acid, rather than a Brønsted-Lowry acid. This statement is true. A Brønsted-Lowry acid is defined as a proton (hydrogen ion) donor, which is not the case for boric acid. Instead, boric acid functions as a Lewis acid by accepting an unshared pair of electrons from a Lewis base, such as hydroxide ion (OH⁻).
For example, when B(OH)₃ comes into contact with water, it can accept electrons from the hydroxide ion formed in water, resulting in an acid-base reaction according to the Lewis definition, which takes into account the ability to accept electron pairs rather than donating protons.