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How can compounds be amphoteric?

Posted: Tue Nov 26, 2019 10:20 am
by Sarah Zhari 1D
How do some compounds have both basic and acidic character?

Re: How can compounds be amphoteric?

Posted: Tue Nov 26, 2019 11:23 am
by haileyramsey-1c
A compound can be amphoteric if it can accept or donate a proton and it depends on what the compound is reacting with. For example a water molecule reacting with HCl acts as a bronstead base and accepts a proton. But, when water is reacting with NH3, it acts as a bronstead acid and donates a proton.

Re: How can compounds be amphoteric?

Posted: Tue Nov 26, 2019 11:31 am
by Fiona Latifi 1A
Amphoteric compounds are those that are able to either accept or donate a proton, depending on what other compounds they react with. For example, HCO3- can either accept a proton and become H2CO3 or donate a proton and become CO3 2-.

Re: How can compounds be amphoteric?

Posted: Tue Nov 26, 2019 4:09 pm
by Adelpha Chan 1B
Sarah Zhari 1C wrote:How do some compounds have both basic and acidic character?

compounds can be both acidic and basic in character if they are able to increase the concentration of either H3O+ or OH- ions depending on the solution the compound is placed in

Re: How can compounds be amphoteric?

Posted: Tue Nov 26, 2019 6:21 pm
by Michelle Xie 2B
Amphoteric compounds can both donate and accept a proton.

Re: How can compounds be amphoteric?

Posted: Tue Nov 26, 2019 8:12 pm
by Kavee Dodampahala 4E
To add on, another example of an amphoteric compound is H2O.