Acids and Bases

A major class of reactions are acid-base reactions. We see them frequently in chemistry and it is important to recognize these reactions. It is also important to recognize acids and bases and to distinguish whether they are strong or weak acids or bases.

In addition there is more than one way to define acids and bases. Bronsted theory refers to Bronsted acids as proton donors while Bronsted bases are proton acceptors.

Lewis acid-base theory is more a more general theory and refers to acids as electron pair acceptors and Lewis bases as electron pair donors.