Question

For Each chemical reaction in the table below, decide whether the highlighted reactant is a Brønsted-Lowry acid, a Bronsted Lowry base, or neither.

Answer 1

To answer this question the first step is to define what is a Bronsted Lowry acid and a Bronsted Lowry base.

A Bronsted Lowry acid is any chemical species that can donate a proton and a Bronsted Lowry base is any chemical species that can receive a proton.

For the first reaction, ClO3- accepts one proton to become HCO3. It means that it is a Bronsted Lowry base.

For the second reaction, H2O accepts one proton to become H3O+. It means that it is a Bronsted Lowry base.

For the third reaction, HClO3 donates a proton and becomes ClO3-. It means that it is a Bronsted Lowry acid.

For the fourth reaction H3O+ donates a proton and becomes H2O. It means it is a Bronsted Lowry acid.