Identifying Acids and Bases

[106169087]

Overall, by looking at a formula for a molecule, what is the first thing to look at to determine whether it is an acid or a base? I understand conceptually what each one is, but when looking at them and trying to determine, it gets a bit unclear.

[Yareli Cervantes 2C]

By looking at a formula for a molecule, in order to determine whether it is an acid or a base keep in mind that for an acid it will typically start with hydrogen (contain H+). For a base, it will contain (OH-), hydroxide ions.

[Melany Castellanos2E]

Hello! The first thing I do is look at the beginning atom. Usually, acids start with H or end in COOH. This usually allows you to determine acids quickly and eliminate possibilities for bases. Bases tend to start with a metal (those in group 1 and 2 are strong bases) and end in OH, and may contain nitrogen. I hope this helps!