Acids and Bases Achieve Week 2 Question 6

[Jayla Riley]

I couldn't find the module for Acids and Bases so I am posting my question here in hopes someone will finish:

"HY <> H+ + Y-

Since this reaction can go in reverse, the anion Y- will hydrolyze, that is, it will combine with the H+ ions in water and leave behind free OH− ions, which make the solution basic.



My question is, how would Y- ions combining with H+ ions leave behind OH- ions?

[Hersh Nanda 2J]

When free anions react with water, they act as bases (H+ ion/proton acceptors) and thus accept H+ ions from H2O. Bases produce OH- ions by stripping away the H+ from H2O, leaving behind one oxygen and one hydrogen atom. This resulting byproduct is OH-, or hydroxide.

[MelodyJiang]

The Y- ions would combine with H+ ions from water (H2O) to form an acid. While these two molecules combine, an OH- from H2O will be left behind.

[Tiffany Wang 2G]

If Y- is the conjugate base of a weak acid, it'll form with H+ because that will stabilize the compound. Because some of the H+ are taken from H2O, it creates OH- ions.