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Answer 1 · 2018-01-04T14:20:57

It is a base in contact with water, but it can act as both an acid and a base.

When you put bicarbonate $(H C O_{3}^{-})$ $(HCO_3^-)$ into water, it forms a basic solution.

However, bicarbonate can act both as an acid and a base.

Take a look at these two reactions for example.

$H C O_{3}^{-} + O H^{- +} ⇌ C O_{3}^{2 -} + H_{2} O$ $HCO_3^-)+OH^-+rightleftharpoonsCO_3^(2-)+H_2O$

$H C O_{3}^{-} + H_{3} O^{+} ⇌ H_{2} C O_{3} + H_{2} O$ $HCO_3^-)+H_3O^+rightleftharpoonsH_2CO_3+H_2O$

In the first reaction, bicarbonate acts an acid by donating a proton $(H^{+})$ $(H^+)$ and becoming the carbonate anion $C O_{3}^{2 -}$ $CO_3^(2-)$ .

In the second reaction, bicarbonate acts as a base by accepting a proton to become carbonic acid $(H_{2} C O_{3})$ $(H_2CO_3)$ .