Recognizing Amphoteric Compounds

[Layal Suboh 1I]

What makes certain elements have acid or basic quality in certain compounds? Also, is there a way to know whether something is amphoteric or not, or do we just have to memorize them?

[Divya Pimparkar 1E]

You can look at the fact of whether it gains or loses a proton (the Brownsted/Lowry definition) or you can look at whether or not it loses/gains an electron pair (the Lewis definition). Also, amphoteric, you have to look at the fact if the compound acts like an acid and a base, so you use the brownsted/lowry definition/ or the lewis definition to look at the molecule to determine if it acts as both an acid and base.

[Asia Yamada 2B]

You can determine if a species is acidic or basic by looking at whether it donates a proton or accepts a proton. If it donates a proton, then it’s acidic. If it accepts a proton, then it’s basic. Amphoteric species are ones that can react with both acids and bases depending on what other species they’re reacting with.

[Aaina 2D]

You can determine if a species is acidic or basic by looking at whether it donates a proton or accepts a proton. If it donates a proton, then it’s acidic. If it accepts a proton, then it’s basic. Amphoteric species are ones that can react with both acids and bases depending on what other species they’re reacting with.

An example of an amphoteric compound would be water (H2O). H2O can donate a proton, making it a bronstead acid and forming OH-. It can also accept a proton, making it a bronstead base and forming H3O+. This way, water can act as both an acid and a base, thereby making it amphoteric. Hope this helps :)

[Andy Hernandez]

You can determine if a species is acidic or basic bc if it donates a proton, then it’s acidic, if it accepts, then it’s basic.

[Sharon Kim 2A]

Usually for determining whether something is acidic or basic look for charges and protons that it accept or donate. So for acids, you should look for any hydrogens it can give away and look for positive charges. For bases, usually the it is Group 1 and 2 elements and seeing any OH- is a good indicator that it is a strong base. Also look for negative charges for bases because they will mean they are able to accept a proton.

[LeanneBagood_2F]

im sorry im blanking, can someone quickly explain what an amphoteric compound is please?

[Andrew Yoon 3L]

^^ yeah an amphoteric compound is a compound that can be an acid or base in a reaction. The most basic example is water, H2O. Since it can both accept or donate an H+, it can be bronsted acid or base.

[jessicasilverstein1F]

I usually look and see if it has both a H and an overall negative charge.

[Lauren Sarigumba 1K]

An amphoteric compound is a compound that can act as both an acid or a base, depending on the situation. One example of an amphoteric compound is H2O (water). H2O can both donate a proton (H+) and change to OH-, but it can also accept a proton and form H3O+.