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Chapter 14: Problem 139

Aluminum hydroxide is an amphoteric substance. It can act as either a Brønsted-Lowry base or a Lewis acid. Write a reaction showing \(\mathrm{Al}(\mathrm{OH})_{3}\) acting as a base toward \(\mathrm{H}^{+}\) and as an acid toward \(\mathrm{OH}^{-}\).

Short Answer

Expert verified
Aluminum hydroxide acts as a Brønsted-Lowry base by accepting a proton (H+) in the following reaction: \[\mathrm{Al(OH)_{3}(s)} + \mathrm{H^{+}(aq)} \rightarrow \mathrm{Al(OH)_2(OH_2)^+ (aq)}\] It acts as a Lewis acid by accepting a hydroxide ion (OH-) in this reaction: \[\mathrm{Al(OH)_{3}(s)} + \mathrm{OH^{-}(aq)} \rightarrow \mathrm{Al(OH)_4^{-}(aq)}\]

Step by step solution

01

Reaction as a Brønsted-Lowry base

Since aluminum hydroxide can act as a Brønsted-Lowry base, it will be able to accept a proton (H+). We can write the reaction as follows: \[\mathrm{Al(OH)_{3}(s)} + \mathrm{H^{+}(aq)} \rightarrow \mathrm{Al(OH)_2(OH_2)^+ (aq)}\] The aluminum hydroxide, Al(OH)₃, accepts a proton (H+) and forms the Al(OH)₂(OH₂)⁺ complex in an aqueous solution.
02

Reaction as a Lewis acid

In the second reaction, aluminum hydroxide acts as a Lewis acid, which means it can accept a pair of electrons. It will interact with the hydroxide ion (OH-) as a Lewis base. The reaction can be written as follows: \[\mathrm{Al(OH)_{3}(s)} + \mathrm{OH^{-}(aq)} \rightarrow \mathrm{Al(OH)_4^{-}(aq)}\] The aluminum hydroxide, Al(OH)₃, accepts a hydroxide ion (OH-) and forms the Al(OH)₄⁻ complex in an aqueous solution.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

Will \(0.10 M\) solutions of the following salts be acidic, basic, of neutral? See Appendix 5 for \(K_{\mathrm{a}}\) values. a. ammonium bicarbonate b. sodium dihydrogen phosphate c. sodium hydrogen phosphate d. ammonium dihydrogen phosphate e. ammonium formate

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