Difference between Arrhenius, Bronsted, and Lewis

[Tiffany Dong_4e]

What are the differences between Arrhenius, Bronsted, and Lewis acids and bases?

[Deepika Reddy 1A]

A Lewis Acid is one that accept an electron pair while a Lewis base is one that can donate an electron pair. A Bronsted acid is one that donates protons while a Bronsted base is one that accepts protons. Finally, an Arrhenius acid is a substance that dissolves to increase the number of protons in water while an Arrhenius base forms hydroxide ions in water.

[Melvin Reputana 1L]

It also good to note that the Bronsted-lowry definition of an acid/base accounts for how acids/bases can be dissolved in solvents other than water such as ammonia. The Arrhenius definition involves H+ and OH- ions which occur due to the acid/base being dissolved in water.

[KaitlynBali_4B]

I also found Figure 6A.6 in the book on page 448 to be extremely helpful. One thing that I found important was that an Arrhenius acid or base is a compound that supplies the H+ or OH-, not the H+ or OH- itself. However, the definition of a Lewis acid would define an H+ by itself as an acid because it is an electron acceptor.

[Haley Pham 4I]

An Arrhenius acid is a molecule that donates an H+ ion when dissolved in water, so it is a proton donor. An Arrhenius base is a molecule that yields an OH- ion when dissolved in water. Bronsted-Lowry acids are proton donors, and Bronsted-Lowry bases are proton acceptors. Lewis acids are electron pair acceptors, and Lewis bases are electron pair donors.

[Nikki Razal 1L]

An arrhenius:
- acid: gives off H+
- base: gives off OH-

Bronsted-Lowry
- acid: is a proton donor
- base: is a proton acceptor

Lewis
- acid: is an electron acceptor
-base: is an electron donor