Question

question 8 of 10
what is a conjugate acid?
a. the acid formed when a base loses an h+
b. the acid used in a neutralization reaction
c. the acid formed when a salt dissolves in water
d. the acid formed when a base gains an h+

Explanation:

According to the Brønsted - Lowry acid - base theory, a base can accept a proton (\(H^{+}\)). When a base (\(B\)) gains a proton (\(H^{+}\)), it forms its conjugate acid (\(BH^{+}\)). For example, if the base is \(NH_{3}\), when it gains an \(H^{+}\), it forms \(NH_{4}^{+}\) (the conjugate acid).

• Option A: A base losing an \(H^{+}\) is incorrect as bases accept \(H^{+}\) (in the Brønsted - Lowry sense) to form conjugate acids.
• Option B: The acid in a neutralization reaction is just an acid (e.g., \(HCl\) in \(HCl + NaOH=NaCl + H_{2}O\)), not specifically a conjugate acid.
• Option C: When a salt dissolves in water, it may hydrolyze, but this is not the definition of a conjugate acid.

Answer:

D. The acid formed when a base gains an \(H^{+}\)