Hydrogen selenide (H2Se) reacts with water according to the following equation.
H2Se + H20 -> SeH-+ H30+
In three to five sentences, identify the acid, base, conjugate acid, and conjugate base in this reaction. Use patterns in the periodic table to explain why the substances you identified acted as the acid and the base in this reaction.
In this reaction, H2Se acts as the acid while water acts as the base. The conjugate acid is SeH- and the conjugate base is H3O+. The acidity of a compound depends on its ability to donate a proton (H+ ion), while the basicity depends on its ability to accept a proton. Hydrogen selenide (H2Se) is an acid because it can donate a proton, and water is a base because it can accept a proton. This can be explained by looking at the periodic table - as we move down Group 16 (Chalcogens) in the periodic table, the acidity of the hydrogen compounds decreases, so H2Se is a stronger acid than H2O.
In this reaction, H2Se acts as the acid and H2O acts as the base. H2Se donates a proton (H+) to form SeH-, which is the conjugate base. H2O accepts the proton and forms H3O+, which is the conjugate acid. The acidity of a compound is determined by its ability to donate protons, while basicity is determined by its ability to accept protons. H2Se, being a compound of hydrogen and selenium, is an acid due to the high electronegativity difference between hydrogen and selenium, resulting in a polar bond. On the other hand, H2O, being a compound of hydrogen and oxygen, has a higher electron density due to the smaller electronegativity difference between hydrogen and oxygen, making it a good base.
In this reaction, H2Se is acting as the acid, while H2O is acting as the base. The conjugate acid formed is SeH- and the conjugate base formed is H3O+.
To understand why H2Se acts as the acid and H2O acts as the base, we can look at their molecular structures and the patterns in the periodic table. H2Se is a hydride of selenium, which belongs to Group 16 (also known as Group VIA) of the periodic table. Elements in Group 16 have a strong tendency to gain two electrons to achieve a stable octet configuration, making them more likely to act as acids and donate protons. On the other hand, H2O is a compound of hydrogen and oxygen, an element from Group 15 (also known as Group VA). Elements in Group 15 have a strong tendency to gain three electrons to achieve a stable octet configuration, making them more likely to act as bases and accept protons.
Therefore, based on the patterns in the periodic table, H2Se acts as the acid as it donates a proton (H+) to H2O, which acts as the base by accepting the proton. The resulting products, SeH- and H3O+, are the conjugate base and conjugate acid, respectively.