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Chapter 16: Problem 93

Ammonia, \(\mathrm{NH}_{3}\), acts as an Arrhenius base, a Brønsted-Lowry base, and a Lewis base, in aqueous solution. Write out the reaction \(\mathrm{NH}_{3}\) undergoes with water and explain what properties of ammonia correspond to each of the three definitions of "base."

Short Answer

Expert verified
Ammonia reacts with water as follows: \( NH_3 (aq) + H_2O (l) \rightleftharpoons NH_4^+ (aq) + OH^- (aq) \). Ammonia acts as an Arrhenius base because it increases the concentration of hydroxide ions in the solution. It acts as a Brønsted-Lowry base by accepting a proton from water, forming an ammonium ion (NH₄⁺). Finally, ammonia acts as a Lewis base by donating its lone pair of electrons on the nitrogen atom to form a covalent bond with a hydrogen atom from water.

Step by step solution

01

Write the reaction of ammonia with water

Ammonia reacts with water as follows: \[ NH_3 (aq) + H_2O (l) \rightleftharpoons NH_4^+ (aq) + OH^- (aq) \] Now, we will analyze this reaction according to the different definitions of bases.
02

Arrhenius Base

An Arrhenius base is a substance that dissociates in water to produce hydroxide ions, OH⁻. In the ammonia-water reaction, we can observe that ammonia accepts a hydrogen ion (H⁺) from water, forming a hydroxide ion (OH⁻) in the process: \[ NH_3 + H_2O \rightleftharpoons NH_4^+ + OH^- \] Here, ammonia acts as an Arrhenius base because it increases the concentration of hydroxide ions in the solution.
03

Brønsted-Lowry Base

A Brønsted-Lowry base is a substance that can accept a proton (H⁺) from an acid. In the reaction of ammonia with water, ammonia (NH₃) accepts a proton from water (H₂O), which behaves like an acid, forming an ammonium ion (NH₄⁺): \[ NH_3 + H_2O \rightleftharpoons NH_4^+ + OH^- \] In this case, ammonia is a Brønsted-Lowry base because it is a proton acceptor.
04

Lewis Base

A Lewis base is a substance that can donate an electron pair to form a covalent bond with a Lewis acid. Ammonia has a lone pair of electrons on the nitrogen atom that can participate in the formation of a covalent bond: \[ NH_3 \xrightarrow{\text{donating electron pair}} NH_3^- \] When ammonia reacts with water, it uses its lone pair of electrons to form a covalent bond with a hydrogen atom from water: \[ NH_3 + H_2O \rightleftharpoons NH_4^+ + OH^- \] Thus, ammonia is a Lewis base because it donates an electron pair to form a covalent bond with a hydrogen atom from water, behaving as a Lewis acid.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

Identify the Brønsted-Lowry acid and the Brønsted-Lowry base on the left side of each of the following equations, and also identify the conjugate acid and conjugate base of each on the right side: (a) $\mathrm{NH}_{4}^{+}(a q)+\mathrm{CN}^{-}(a q) \rightleftharpoons \mathrm{HCN}(a q)+\mathrm{NH}_{3}(a q)$ (b) $\left(\mathrm{CH}_{3}\right)_{3} \mathrm{~N}(a q)+\mathrm{H}_{2} \mathrm{O}(l) \rightleftharpoons$ $$ \left(\mathrm{CH}_{3}\right)_{3} \mathrm{NH}^{+}(a q)+\mathrm{OH}^{-}(a q) $$ (c) \(\mathrm{HCOOH}(a q)+\mathrm{PO}_{4}^{3-}(a q) \rightleftharpoons\) $$ \mathrm{HCOO}^{-}(a q)+\mathrm{HPO}_{4}^{2-}(a q) $$

Using data from Appendix \(D\), calculate \(p O H\) and \(p H\) for each (a) \(0.080 M\) potassium hypobromite of the following solutions: \((\mathrm{KBrO}),\) (b) \(0.150 \mathrm{M}\) potassium hydrosulfide \((\mathrm{KHS}),(\mathbf{c})\) a mixture that is \(0.25 \mathrm{M}\) in potassium nitrite \(\left(\mathrm{KNO}_{2}\right)\) and \(0.15 \mathrm{M}\) in magnesium nitrite \(\left(\mathrm{Mg}\left(\mathrm{NO}_{2}\right)_{2}\right)\).

A solution is made by adding $1.000 \mathrm{~g} \mathrm{Ca}(\mathrm{OH})_{2}(s), 100.0 \mathrm{~mL}$ of \(0.10 \mathrm{M} \mathrm{H}_{2} \mathrm{SO}_{4}\), and enough water to make a final volume of \(350.0 \mathrm{~mL}\). Assuming that all of the solid dissolves, what is the \(\mathrm{pH}\) of the final solution?

Calculate the percent ionization of hydrazoic acid \(\left(\mathrm{HN}_{3}\right)\) in solutions of each of the following concentrations \(\left(K_{a}\right.\) is (c) \(0.0400 \mathrm{M}\). given in Appendix $\mathrm{D}):(\mathbf{a}) 0.400 \mathrm{M},(\mathbf{b}) 0.100 \mathrm{M}$

Which of the following statements is false? (a) An Arrhenius base increases the concentration of \(\mathrm{OH}^{-}\) in water. (b) A Brønsted-Lowry base is a proton acceptor. (c) Water can act as a Brønsted-Lowry acid. (d) Water can act as a Brønsted-Lowry base. (e) Any compound that contains an -OH group acts as a Brønsted-Lowry base.
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