I need help describing the difference between Arrhenius acid/base, Bronsted/Lowry acid/base, and Lewis acid/base. Everything online is too complicated! Thanks!
You need to learn to read that "complicated" and spend time with it. Practice makes perfect.
Arrhenius' theory--acids give H^+ in solution; bases give OH^- in solution.
Bronsted/Lowry--acids are proton donors; bases are proton acceptors.
Lewis--acids accept electrons; bases donate electrons.
Can you take it from there? It should be easy enough to spot the differences (and similarities).
i want to know how you could get electric to an island in the middle of nowhere.
Of course! I'd be happy to help you understand the differences between Arrhenius acid/base, Bronsted/Lowry acid/base, and Lewis acid/base in a simple and straightforward way.
1. Arrhenius Acid/Base:
Arrhenius acid/base theory is a concept introduced by Swedish chemist Svante Arrhenius in the late 19th century. According to this theory, an acid is defined as a substance that dissociates in water to produce hydrogen ions (H+), and a base is a substance that dissociates in water to produce hydroxide ions (OH-). In other words, Arrhenius acids release H+ ions in water, while Arrhenius bases release OH- ions.
For example, hydrochloric acid (HCl) is an Arrhenius acid because it dissociates in water to produce H+ ions, while sodium hydroxide (NaOH) is an Arrhenius base because it dissociates in water to produce OH- ions.
2. Bronsted/Lowry Acid/Base:
Bronsted/Lowry acid/base theory, developed by Danish chemist Johannes Bronsted and English chemist Thomas Lowry in the early 20th century, provides a broader definition of acids and bases compared to Arrhenius theory. According to Bronsted/Lowry theory, an acid is a substance that donates a proton (H+) to another substance, and a base is a substance that accepts a proton.
In this theory, water can act as both an acid and a base. When water donates a proton, it can be considered an acid, and when water accepts a proton, it can be considered a base. For example, when hydrochloric acid (HCl) donates a proton to water, water acts as a base by accepting the proton. Conversely, when ammonia (NH3) accepts a proton, it acts as a base.
This theory is more comprehensive than the Arrhenius concept because it allows for the classification of substances as acids or bases even if they do not dissociate in water.
3. Lewis Acid/Base:
Lewis acid/base theory, proposed by American chemist Gilbert N. Lewis in the early 20th century, is the most general of the three theories. According to Lewis theory, an acid is a substance that accepts an electron pair, and a base is a substance that donates an electron pair.
In this theory, molecular compounds or substances that do not dissolve in water can also be classified as Lewis acids or bases. For example, Boron trifluoride (BF3) can act as a Lewis acid because it can accept an electron pair from a Lewis base such as ammonia (NH3).
Lewis acid/base theory encompasses both the Arrhenius and Bronsted/Lowry definitions, but it also expands the concept of acid/base interactions to include substances beyond aqueous solutions.
I hope this explanation gives you a clearer understanding of the differences between Arrhenius acid/base, Bronsted/Lowry acid/base, and Lewis acid/base!