A necessary requirement for a Brønsted base is
A)the presence of water as a reaction medium.
B)the presence of hydroxide in its formula.
C)a lone pair of electrons in its Lewis dot structure.
D)the production of hydronium ion upon reaction with water.
E)the presence of a metal ion in its formula.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

A Brønsted base is a substance that can accept a proton (H+) from an acid. In order to do so, the molecule must have a lone pair of electrons that can bond with the H+ ion. Therefore, the only necessary requirement for a Brønsted base is the presence of a lone pair of electrons in its Lewis dot structure. The other options are not correct, as the presence of water or hydroxide is not necessary, and the production of hydronium ion is a result, not a requirement, of the reaction. The presence of a metal ion is also not necessary - some bases, such as ammonia (NH3), do not contain any metal ions.

A Necessary Requirement for a Brønsted Base Is