Which of the following chemicals are bases or can behave like bases? You may select more than one compound.
Cu2+
RbOH
CH3COO-
Br-
I would choose RbOH and CH3COO^-
RbOH is a strong base, CH3COO^- is the base part of acetic acid.
To determine which of the given compounds are bases or can behave like bases, we need to understand the characteristics of bases.
Bases are substances that can accept proton (H+) ions or donate a pair of electrons. They are usually capable of neutralizing acids and can also increase the concentration of hydroxide ions (OH-) in aqueous solutions.
Now let's analyze each compound:
1. Cu2+: Copper(II) ion does not have the ability to accept protons or donate a pair of electrons, so it is not a base.
2. RbOH: Rubidium hydroxide (RbOH) is a strong base. It completely dissociates in water to form rubidium ions (Rb+) and hydroxide ions (OH-), which makes it capable of increasing the concentration of hydroxide ions in aqueous solutions.
3. CH3COO-: Acetate ion (CH3COO-) is the conjugate base of acetic acid (CH3COOH), which is a weak acid. While acetate ion can accept protons, it is not a strong base. It can behave as a weak base in certain reactions.
4. Br-: Bromide ion (Br-) is the conjugate base of hydrobromic acid (HBr), which is a strong acid. Similar to acetate ion, bromide ion can accept protons to a limited extent but is not considered a strong base.
Therefore, the compounds that are bases or can behave like bases are:
- RbOH (Rubidium hydroxide)
- CH3COO- (Acetate ion)