Question

In the given chemical equation, where the acid is H₂​Se, the base is H2₂O, the conjugate acid is SeH−, and the conjugate base is H₃​O, Identified H₂​Se as the acid in this reaction for the following reasons:

It is on the left side of the reaction.

Answer 1

Acids donate protons and become conjugate bases, while bases accept protons and become conjugate acids. The strength of conjugates is related to their pKa and pKb.

Step-by-step explanation:

The student's question involves understanding the roles of acids, bases, and their conjugate pairs in a chemical reaction. According to the Brønsted-Lowry acid-base theory, an acid donates a proton (H+) and becomes its conjugate base, while a base accepts a proton and becomes its conjugate acid.

For example, in the reaction between hydrogen sulfate (HSO4-) and water (H2O), HSO4- acts as an acid by donating a proton to H2O, which acts as a base. This transforms HSO4- into sulfate ion (SO42-), its conjugate base, and H2O into hydronium ion (H3O+), its conjugate acid. The strength of the conjugate acid and base is indicated by their respective pKa and pKb values, where pKa + pKb = pKw, helping to predict the direction of the equilibrium.