HBrO2. Show the reaction with H+ (aq) as a product. HBrO2 – Free 87A

HBrO2. Show the reaction with H+ (aq) as a product. HBrO2. Show the reaction with the hydronium ion as a product. C2H5COOH. Show the reaction with H+ (aq) as a product. C2H5COOH. Show the reaction with the hydronium ion as a product.

Answer

Acid Reactions of HBrO₂ and C₂H₅COOH with Water: Formation of H⁺ and H₃O⁺

Acids in aqueous solutions can donate protons (H⁺), which may appear either as free hydrogen ions (H⁺) or as part of the hydronium ion (H₃O⁺) when reacting with water. Let’s examine how two acids—bromous acid (HBrO₂) and propanoic acid (C₂H₅COOH)—behave in aqueous environments.

🧪 Reaction of HBrO₂ Showing H⁺ (aq) as Product

Bromous acid (HBrO₂) is a weak acid that dissociates partially in water. The dissociation can be represented as:

HBrO₂ (aq) ⇌ H⁺ (aq) + BrO₂⁻ (aq)

Here, the acid donates a proton (H⁺) to the solution, producing a hydrogen ion and the conjugate base bromite ion (BrO₂⁻).

💧 Reaction of HBrO₂ Showing Hydronium Ion (H₃O⁺) as Product

When considering water as the base (as per the Brønsted-Lowry definition), the H⁺ ion doesn’t exist freely but rather associates with water to form hydronium (H₃O⁺):

HBrO₂ (aq) + H₂O (l) ⇌ H₃O⁺ (aq) + BrO₂⁻ (aq)

This form is more chemically accurate in aqueous solutions.

🧪 Reaction of C₂H₅COOH Showing H⁺ (aq) as Product

Propanoic acid (C₂H₅COOH) is also a weak acid that partially ionizes:

C₂H₅COOH (aq) ⇌ H⁺ (aq) + C₂H₅COO⁻ (aq)

The hydrogen ion (H⁺) is released from the carboxyl group, and the resulting anion is the propanoate ion (C₂H₅COO⁻).

💧 Reaction of C₂H₅COOH Showing Hydronium Ion (H₃O⁺) as Product

Including water as the base, the proton binds with H₂O to form hydronium:

C₂H₅COOH (aq) + H₂O (l) ⇌ H₃O⁺ (aq) + C₂H₅COO⁻ (aq)

This is the preferred depiction in most acid-base chemistry discussions involving aqueous systems.

🔍 Summary Table

🧠 Key Insight

Both HBrO₂ and C₂H₅COOH are weak acids and do not fully dissociate in water. The difference between writing H⁺ or H₃O⁺ lies in whether you explicitly show water accepting the proton. H₃O⁺ is more chemically accurate in aqueous solutions, but both notations are commonly accepted depending on context.