WHAT IS AN ACID OR A BASE?
By the 1884 definition of Svante Arrhenius (Sweden), an acid is a material that can release a proton or hydrogen ion (H+). Hydrogen chloride in water solution ionizes and becomes hydrogen ions and chloride ions. If that is the case, a base, or alkali, is a material that can donate a hydroxide ion (OH-). Sodium hydroxide in water solution becomes sodium ions and hydroxide ions. By the definition of both Thomas Lowry (England) or J.N. Brnsted (Denmark) working independently in 1923, an acid is a material that donates a proton and a base is a material that can accept a proton. Was Arrhenius erroneous? $| 😎 No. The Arrhenius definition serves well for a limited use. We are going to use the Arrhenius definitions most of the time. The Lowry- Brnsted definition is broader, including some ideas that might not initially seem to be acid and base types of interaction. Every ion dissociation that involves a hydrogen or hydroxide ion could be considered an acid- base reaction. Just as with the Ar
