What are some examples of the properties of bases?
1 Answer
- They might want protons (Bronsted-Lowry definition)
- They might want to donate electrons (Lewis definition)
- They might donate
"OH"^(-) to solution (Arrhenius definition) - The conjugate base of a weak acid is a strong base
- The conjugate base of a strong acid is a weak base
A nice example of something that has most of the following properties is
This base wants a proton according to the Bronsted-Lowry definition, and it will get that proton by donating electrons according to the Lewis definition, using the lone pairs on the
It is the conjugate base of
(Since the
"pKa" of"H"_2"SO"_4 is about1000 , it is reasonable to say that most"H"_2"SO"_4 is actually deprotonated.)
Furthermore, although it might be difficult, it can be deprotonated to get
(This makes the conjugate base,
"SO"_4^(2-) , a strong base.)
It is not, however, a base by the Arrhenius definition, but an acid. It donates protons (