What is the conjugate base of H2O?

1 Answer
Jan 11, 2016

For the conjugate base, simply remove a proton from the parent molecule/species and CONSERVE mass and charge.

Explanation:

If I remove H^+ from H_2O, clearly I get the hydroxide ion, OH^-. Mass and charge have been conserved. If I remove a proton from sulfuric acid, I get bisulfate anion, HSO_4^-; thus bisulfate is the conjugate base of sulfuric acid. What is the conjugate base of bisulfate ion? What is the conjugate base of OH^-?

The conjugate base of ammonia, NH_3, does not exist in water, but it does exist in liquid ammonia. What is it?