Acid Base Theories: Bronsted-Lowry vs Lewis

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers around the comparison of the Bronsted-Lowry and Lewis theories of acids and bases, particularly in terms of their reliability and applicability in common problems. Participants explore the qualitative and quantitative aspects of each theory.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants propose that the Bronsted-Lowry theory is more reliable for making quantitative predictions compared to the Lewis theory.
  • Others question the justification for Bronsted-Lowry's quantitative predictions, suggesting that both Bronsted-Lowry and Lewis theories are primarily qualitative in nature.
  • It is noted that Lewis theory does not allow for an unambiguous acidity scale, as acid strength can vary depending on the selected base, while Bronsted-Lowry maintains consistent relative strengths across different solvents.
  • A participant references Adam Hulanicki's book for further details on the topic, indicating a desire for more comprehensive resources.
  • There is a request for additional book recommendations, but some participants express limitations in accessing library resources.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the reliability and applicability of the Bronsted-Lowry and Lewis theories, with no consensus reached on which theory is superior or more useful in common problems.

Contextual Notes

Participants acknowledge that the theories may have limitations, such as dependence on definitions and the context of solvent choice, but do not resolve these issues within the discussion.

Who May Find This Useful

This discussion may be useful for students and professionals interested in the theoretical foundations of acid-base chemistry and those seeking to understand the nuances between different acid-base theories.

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what theories out of the major two ( Bronsted-Lowry Theory of acids and bases and The Lewis Theory of acids and bases) should we use in common problems, and which one is more reliable ?
 
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Brønsted-Lowry. Lewis theory doesn't give a way to make quantitative predictions.
 
Borek, despite agreeing with your answer, I'm puzzled with its justification. In which cases would Bronsted-Lowry give a quantitative prediction (and Lewis' theory would fail to do so)?

I always thought that Arrhenius, Bronsted-Lowry and Lewis were all entirely qualitative definitions - simply defining what an acid and a base were and giving an idea of which reactions where possible.
 
It is not possible to use Lewis theory to create unambiguous acidity scale. Acid strength can be only determined relative to the selected base (and vice versa), and quite often it happens that depending on the selected base results are opposite (what seems to be a stronger base becomes a weak base after selecting different base as a reference point). In the case of Brønsted-Lowry this is not a problem, even if you move to different solvent relative strengths of acids are identical (or at least their ordering doesn't change - what was stronger is still stronger). In a way that's because proton gives a reference point, but proton presence (or autodissociation of a protic solvent) is one of the theory assumptions.

Try to find Adam Hulanicki's book Reactions of acids and bases in analytical chemistry for some more details (I guess it is n ot a problem to find discussion in other sources, this one I have here so I know it addresses the problem).
 
As always, Borek makes me learn something new!

Sadly, I couldn't find the book you suggested on my college's libraries. Do you have any other suggestions for books on the subject?
 
Acut said:
Do you have any other suggestions for books on the subject?

Sorry, no. I don't have an easy access to the library so I have to work with what I have at home.
 

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