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What are Acids?

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Definition of Acids


1. Litmus Definition of an Acid

An acid may be defined as a substance that turn litmus red.

2. Arrhenius Definition of an Acid

An acid is a substance that dissolves in water to form H+/H3O+ as the only positive ion/cation.
This is called the Arrhenius definition of an acid.
From this definition, an acid dissociate/ionize in water releasing H+ thus:
HCl(aq) → H+ (aq) + Cl- (aq)
HNO3(aq) → H+ (aq) + NO3-(aq)
CH3COOH(aq) → H+ (aq) + CH3COO-(aq)
H2SO4(aq) → 2H+ (aq) + SO42-(aq)
H2CO3(aq) → 2H+ (aq) + CO32-(aq)
H3PO4(aq) → 3H+ (aq) + PO43-(aq)

3. Bronsted-Lowry Definition of an Acid

An acid is a proton donor
This is called Bronsted-Lowry definition of acids
HCl(aq) + H2O(l) === H3O+(aq) + Cl- (aq)
For the backward reaction from right to left, H3O+ donates a proton to form H2O and thus H3O+ is an ‘opposite’ proton donor. It is a Bronsted-Lowry conjugate acid.

Read on:

What are Bases?Acids Reactions with Metal carbonates and Hydrogen CarbonatesPolar and Non-Polar SolventsStrong and Weak Acids and BasesAmphoteric Oxides and HydroxidesMonobasic, Dibasic, and Tribasic AcidsHygroscopy, Deliquescence and EfflorescencePreparation of Soluble Salts in a LaboratoryCarbonates and Hydrogen Carbonates Reaction with AcidsNeutralization of a Soluble Base with Dilute AcidSalt Preparation by Direct Synthesis or CombinationPreparation of Insoluble SaltsEffect of Heat on Salts

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