Lewis or Bronsted?

[Devyn Chun 3I]

When questions ask a general "is this an acid or a base" does this usually mean they are asking for Bronsted acids and bases or Lewis acids and bases? Or does it just depend on what is being exchanged?

[jennaj3k]

According to another post I found on the difference between Bronsted and Lewis acids, Bronsted acids are more specific than Lewis acids, since Bronsted acids are compounds that can donate a proton while Lewis acids are electron pair acceptors.
All Bronsted acids are Lewis acids, but not all Lewis acids are Bronsted acids.

Bronsted acids are restricted to be H+ donors, so ions like Al3+ which is a Lewis acid because it can accept electrons are not necessarily Bronsted acids based on the Bronsted definition. Al3+ will not donate protons.

[raynebunado]

Bronsted is a little more specific than Lewis. From my understanding, Bronsted acid = proton donor while Bronsted base = proton acceptor. For Lewis, acid = e- pair acceptor while base = e- pair donor

[Ishpreet Kaur 3C]

I was similarly confused by a question like this. My assumption was Lewis since the Bronsted questions tend to specifically ask for if they're Bronsted.

[Shania Garrison Discussion 3E]

You should be familiar with both. If we were to be asked about this I assume it would be specified.

[Nicole Ton 3C]

I would say that it would depend on what is being exchanged, but oftentimes using either definition will lead to the same answer. However, I think that most often the question will specify what definition it is referring to.

[sidneypalacios]

It would most likely be specified however it is probably lewis

[Polo Morales 3C]

Since there is some overlap between Lewis and Bronsted acids (all Bronsted are Lewis, but not all Lewis are Bronsted), it would probably be specified only if it mattered. In other words, if it didn't specify the type of acid, then it would most likely be both (or it wouldn't matter). Hope this helps!

[Robert Nguyen 14B-3E]

Since a Bronsted acid is a Lewis acid, if not specified it would probably be meaning a Lewis acid. A Bronsted acid would only be distinguished if referring to proton donation / accepting.