Bronsted Acid vs Lewis Acid [ENDORSED]

[Hector Acosta Discussion 1H]

Are there any other differences between the two acids except for the fact that by definition a lewis acid is an electron acceptor and a bronsted acid a proton donor?

[Lily Sperling 1E]

I believe that is the only difference. The bronsted acid is a proton (or H+ ion) donor, and base is the acceptor. The lewis acid is an electron acceptor, and base is the donor. Different definitions arose because of the context of different reactions. As our knowledge of different fields of chemistry expanded, we had to find different ways to classify acids and bases depending on the context and reaction.

[Alexia Joseph 2B]

No, the only difference is the definition. The Bronsted acid is a proton donor, the Bronsted base is a proton acceptor. A Lewis acid is an electron pair acceptor, while a lewis base is an electron pair donor. The Lewis definitions are broader than Bronsted definitions. The Bronsted definitions are more useful for this specific topic of acids and bases, but when it comes to studying coordinate covalent bonds, Lewis acids and bases are more useful definitions.

[Rachel Formaker 1E]

Another difference is that all Bronsted acids are Lewis acids, but not all Lewis acids are Bronsted acids.

This is because when a molecule is a proton donor, that proton is an electron pair acceptor, making the molecule both a Bronsted acid(proton donor) and a Lewis acid (electron pair acceptor).

Some molecules, like BF₃, are only electron pair acceptors, and are therefore Lewis acids but not Bronsted acids.