Polyprotic v. Polyvalent

[bonoz]

Are they the same thing? from what I understand polyprotic acids/bases have more than one equivalent point during titration because when they dissociate they render 2 moles of either H+ or OH-? and polyvalent is very much the same thing in that dissociation of an acid/base liberates more than one mole of H+ or OH- ions, respectively?

Am I wrong? please correct me.

Cheers

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[csau]

With definitions such as these, wikipedia is a great place to find answers.

So, in short,

H2PO4 = polyprotic
Ca2+ = polyvalent (divalent)

 

[chemtopper]

Polyprotic which gives you more than one H+
like H2SO4,H3PO4

Polyvalent -which shows more than one valency
Fe2+,Fe3+

Cu1+,Cu2+

I hope I am clear.

 

[bonoz]

Polyprotic which gives you more than one H+
like H2SO4,H3PO4

Polyvalent -which shows more than one valency
Fe2+,Fe3+

Cu1+,Cu2+

I hope I am clear.

And by valency you mean any atoms need to fulfill its valence?

 

[SBR249]

It would be more convenient to think of valency in terms of the charge. One valency is equivalent to the loss of one electron.

 

[not so calm now]

so polyvalent = >1 oxidation state?

 

[SBR249]

erm...let me rephrase my earlier answer. Polyvalent just means an ion has a charge magnitude greater than 1. For example:

Ca2+ = divalent
Na+ = monovalent
Cl- = monovalent
O2- = divalent

So to clarify my earlier post, each valency can be thought of as the equivalent of one electron.

 

[bonoz]

So valency then is a synonym for an atom's oxidation state?

 

[SBR249]

Yup, roughly equivalent