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Chemistry Forums for Students => High School Chemistry Forum => Topic started by: FouRRaW on June 01, 2006, 10:10:50 PM

Title: Water Acting As Acid And Base
Post by: FouRRaW on June 01, 2006, 10:10:50 PM

How can water function both as an acid and a base?  When does it perform each of these fuctions?

Is this a good enough answer..
water can either receive or give a proton to another molecule.  When it performs these functions i don 't know.

Title: Re: Water Acting As Acid And Base
Post by: AWK on June 02, 2006, 02:56:50 AM

H₂O + H₂O = H₃O⁺ + OH^-

Title: Re: Water Acting As Acid And Base
Post by: Albert on June 02, 2006, 06:12:01 AM

Quote from: FouRRaW on June 01, 2006, 10:10:50 PM

water can either receive or give a proton to another molecule.  When it performs these functions i don 't know.

HCl + H₂O -> H₃O⁺ + Cl^-

acid1 + base2 -> acid2 + base1

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NH₃ + H₂O -> NH₄⁺ + OH^-

base1 + acid2 -> acid1 + base2

Title: Re: Water Acting As Acid And Base
Post by: FouRRaW on June 02, 2006, 09:21:11 AM

Oh that's what it's asking, okay, thanks!