As you know, a Bronsted - Lowry acid is a proton donor, which means that you can identify a Bronsted - Lowry acid in a reaction by looking at which chemical species lost a proton.
A proton is simply a hydrogen ion,
H
+
, so the species that has one less proton on the products' side than it does on the ractants' side will be the Bronsted - Lowry acid.
In your case, you have
H
Cl
(aq]
+
H
2
O
(l]
→
H
3
O
+
(aq]
+
Cl
−
(aq]
Notice that hydrochloric acid,
HCl
, starts with a proton that ends up on a water molecule, which acts as a Bronsted - Lowry base, and forms hydronium ions,
H
3
O
+
.
The remaining chloride anion,
Cl
−
, is called the acid's conjugate base because it can theoretically reform the acid by aaccepting a proton.
Since hydrochloric acid donated a proton, it acted as a Bronsted
Answers & Comments
Answer:
Hydrochloric acid,
HCl
Explanation:
As you know, a Bronsted - Lowry acid is a proton donor, which means that you can identify a Bronsted - Lowry acid in a reaction by looking at which chemical species lost a proton.
A proton is simply a hydrogen ion,
H
+
, so the species that has one less proton on the products' side than it does on the ractants' side will be the Bronsted - Lowry acid.
In your case, you have
H
Cl
(aq]
+
H
2
O
(l]
→
H
3
O
+
(aq]
+
Cl
−
(aq]
Notice that hydrochloric acid,
HCl
, starts with a proton that ends up on a water molecule, which acts as a Bronsted - Lowry base, and forms hydronium ions,
H
3
O
+
.
The remaining chloride anion,
Cl
−
, is called the acid's conjugate base because it can theoretically reform the acid by aaccepting a proton.
Since hydrochloric acid donated a proton, it acted as a Bronsted
I hope it helps po