Which of the following would most likely act as a Bronsted-Lowry acid? OH- HCN CCl4 Mg(OH)+
A Bronsted-Lowry acid donates a proton (a H^+); a Bronsted-Lowry base ACCEPTS a proton (a H^+). Just go through some reasoning. Since a H^+ is positive, I would think the OH^- would ACCEPT a proton so can't be OH^-. CCl4 has no charge nor protons so can't be. Mg(OH)^+, with a + charge isn't likely to accept another + charge so can't be. But HCN has a proton and it can get rid of that with HCN ==> H^+ + CN^-; therefore HCN can donate a proton. HCN is the acid; CN^- is the conjugate baser (because it can accept a proton to form HCN).
thanks! =)
In order to determine which substance is most likely to act as a Bronsted-Lowry acid, we need to understand what a Bronsted-Lowry acid is.
According to the Bronsted-Lowry acid-base theory, an acid is defined as a substance that can donate a proton (H+). With this in mind, we can evaluate each of the given options:
1. OH- (hydroxide ion) - Hydroxide ions are strong bases, not acids. They readily accept protons to form water. Therefore, OH- is not a Bronsted-Lowry acid.
2. HCN (hydrogen cyanide) - Hydrogen cyanide can donate a proton (H+), making it a Bronsted-Lowry acid. The H+ ion is released when HCN dissociates in water.
3. CCl4 (carbon tetrachloride) - CCl4 is not capable of donating a proton since it lacks hydrogen atoms. It does not have acidic properties and is not considered a Bronsted-Lowry acid.
4. Mg(OH)+ (magnesium hydroxide cation) - This is a positively charged species, indicating it has already lost a proton. As it has already donated a proton, it cannot act as a Bronsted-Lowry acid.
Therefore, the substance most likely to act as a Bronsted-Lowry acid from the given options is HCN (hydrogen cyanide).
To determine which of the given substances is most likely to act as a Bronsted-Lowry acid, we need to understand what a Bronsted-Lowry acid is. According to the Bronsted-Lowry theory, an acid is a substance that donates a proton (H+ ion) during a chemical reaction.
Let's examine each substance:
1. OH- (hydroxide ion): Hydroxide ions have a negative charge and can readily accept protons (H+ ions), making them a base rather than an acid. Hence, OH- is unlikely to act as a Bronsted-Lowry acid.
2. HCN (hydrogen cyanide): Hydrogen cyanide consists of a hydrogen atom bonded to a cyanide ion (CN-). The hydrogen atom in HCN can be donated, making it a suitable Bronsted-Lowry acid.
3. CCl4 (carbon tetrachloride): CCl4 does not contain any ionizable hydrogen atoms. Therefore, it cannot donate protons and is not a Bronsted-Lowry acid.
4. Mg(OH)+ (magnesium hydroxide cation): Magnesium hydroxide cation has a positive charge, suggesting it has gained a proton. It acts as a Bronsted-Lowry base, accepting a proton, rather than donating it. Therefore, it is not a Bronsted-Lowry acid.
Thus, the compound HCN (hydrogen cyanide) is most likely to act as a Bronsted-Lowry acid among the given options.