Question

How is the `"Bronsted Lowry"` theory of acidity formulated?

Answer 1

The physical chemists, Johannes Nicolaus Brønsted in Denmark and Thomas Martin Lowry in England, independently proposed an acid-base theory that carries their names.

Explanation:

In their conception of acid base behaviour, an acid and a base exchanged a proton, `H^+`, to form a `"conjugate acid"` and `"conjugate base"`. The acid was the proton donor, and the base, the proton acceptor. And thus in the autoprotolysis of water, the water molcule was simultaneously the acid and the base:

`2H_2O rightleftharpoonsH_3O^(+) + ""^(-)HO`.

And for a stronger acid, such as `HX`,

`HX(aq) + H_2O(l) rightleftharpoons H_3O^(+) + X^-`

it is clear which is the acid, the proton donor, and which is the base, the proton acceptor.

I once asked a Dane who was quite an accomplished linguist what was the difference in pronounciation between `"Brønsted"`, and `"Bronsted"`. He just laughed and told me not to bother.