Fundamentals J.1 Bronsted Acids and Bases

[Josephine Chan 1B]

How can you tell if a compound is a bronsted acid or base without looking at the chemical equation? I know an acid loses a proton and a base gains one, but how can you tell if it loses or gains one in the first place?

[Jonathan Omens 1K]

There are certain characteristics to acids and bases that are good to remember. For example, a compound consisting of one hydrogen and one halogen will always be a strong acid.

Molecules with group 1 or 2 metals and an OH group will be basic.
Also, any compound with an N atom that has a lone pair will be a weak base such as NH₃.

[Angela Cong 3C]

The lewis structures could also help you visualize which atoms give or receive an electron. Depending on the lone pairs and the electronegativity of the atom you can get an idea of which ones will be more likely to donate.