TBR Gen Chem Acids/Bases Arrhenius

[jsmith1]

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So the first passage from the Acids/Bases Chapter questions 3) Which of the following is an Arrhenius base? A) HClO B) HBrO2 C) Li2CO3 D) HNO2

The answer is C..but according to the Arrhenius def. a base yields OH- in water...Li2CO3 has no OH-'s to donate right?? I know the other answers are acids but I still dont get why this is the correct answer.

 

[QrtrLifeCrisis]

So the first passage from the Acids/Bases Chapter questions 3) Which of the following is an Arrhenius base? A) HClO B) HBrO2 C) Li2CO3 D) HNO2

The answer is C..but according to the Arrhenius def. a base yields OH- in water...Li2CO3 has no OH-'s to donate right?? I know the other answers are acids but I still dont get why this is the correct answer.

CO3(2-) combines with H2O to form HCO3- and OH-. The OH- comes from the dissociation of water.

 

[discowisco]

How did you know that?

 

[QrtrLifeCrisis]

How did you know that?

Magic.

No, actually...H2CO3 is carbonic acid, which is something you need to know for the MCAT. CO3 (2-) is the twicely (is that a word?) deprotonated form of carbonic acid. The deprotonated form of an acid is its conjugate base. The conjugate base of a weak acid will react with water, in equilibrium, to form hydroxide ions.