Lewis vs Bronsted Definition

[Mrudula Akkinepally]

Hello! I was wondering if someone had a way to memorize the difference between a Lewis Acid/Base vs a Bronsted Acid/Base. I know that if a molecule is a Lewis Acid, it's also a Bronsted Acid, and that the lewis definition has to do with electrons while the bronsted definition has to do with protons. However, I'm still a little unsure.

Please let me know! Thank you :)

[Chesca Legaspi 2E]

From my understanding, Bronsted-Lowry interactions are based on the transfer of protons, whereas Lewis interactions involve the sharing of electrons. Bronsted acids are proton donors and bronsted bases are proton acceptors. Conversely, lewis acids are electron acceptors and lewis bases are electron donors.

[Isabella Cortes 2H]

the way that I remember the definition of both the lewis and bronsted acid/base is that if a molecule is accepting either a proton or lone pair then it will be a donor of the alternate definition. So the "acceptor" and "donor" will switch for the lewis and bronsted definition of either an acid or a base. To make it more clear, a lewis base will be a lone pair donor and proton acceptor for bronsted base. I hope that I explained this well enough and hope this helps!!

[Emma_Barrall_3J]

You really only have to know one definition to know all of them! I like to memorize that a Bronsted acid donates a proton. With this information, you know that a Bronsted base accepts a proton. The Lewis definitions are opposite for accepting/donate. Meaning, a Lewis acid accepts a pair of electrons and a Lewis base donates a pair of electrons. It might be helpful to make a table on a piece of scratch paper once you start the test!

[Melis Kasaba 2B]

Since the Lewis definition focuses on the movement of electrons, you can try to remember that L is for Lewis and E is for electrons (LEwis). Then, once you can remember that, you know that the other definition (Bronsted) involves the donation of protons.

[Emma Strassner 1J]

The easiest way to know is just to remember that Bronsted is dealing with protons, while Lewis is dealing with electrons. It helps me to think back to Lewis structures, because we focused on the electrons during that topic, so that relates to the focus on electrons here.

[Kamille Kibria 2A]

what makes it easier for me was i just try to remember: bronsted=proton & lewis= electron
bronsted acids donate protons, which means bronsted bases would accept
lewis acids accept electrons, which means lewis bases donate

although they kinda seem like the opposite in this situation, im pretty sure everything that is a lewis acid or base is also a bronsted acid or base, but not everything that is a bronsted acid or base has to also be a lewis acid or base

[Michael Cardenas 3B]

An easy way to memorize Lewis vs Bronsted definitions is that Lewis acids and bases are based on the sharing of electrons while bronsted acids and bases are based on the sharing of protons.