Acid Base Theories: Bronsted-Lowry vs Lewis

In summary, the two major theories of acids and bases, the Brønsted-Lowry theory and the Lewis theory, have different strengths and limitations. While the Lewis theory does not provide a way to make quantitative predictions, the Brønsted-Lowry theory is able to do so and is more reliable for determining the relative strengths of acids and bases. Additionally, the presence of a proton in the Brønsted-Lowry theory allows for a consistent reference point, while the selection of a base in the Lewis theory can lead to varying results. Further information on the subject can be found in Adam Hulanicki's book, "Reactions of Acids and Bases in Analytical Chemistry."
  • #1
hms.tech
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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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  • #2
Brønsted-Lowry. Lewis theory doesn't give a way to make quantitative predictions.
 
  • #3
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.
 
  • #4
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).
 
  • #5
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?
 
  • #6
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.
 

1. What are the main differences between Bronsted-Lowry and Lewis acid-base theories?

The main difference between Bronsted-Lowry and Lewis acid-base theories is their definition of acids and bases. Bronsted-Lowry theory defines an acid as a proton donor and a base as a proton acceptor, while Lewis theory defines an acid as an electron pair acceptor and a base as an electron pair donor. Additionally, Bronsted-Lowry theory only applies to reactions involving the transfer of protons, while Lewis theory can explain a wider range of reactions.

2. How do Bronsted-Lowry and Lewis theories explain acid-base reactions?

Bronsted-Lowry theory explains acid-base reactions as the transfer of a proton from an acid to a base, while Lewis theory explains them as the formation of a covalent bond between an electron pair donor (base) and an electron pair acceptor (acid). Both theories can be used to predict the direction of an acid-base reaction and the resulting products.

3. What are the strengths and limitations of Bronsted-Lowry and Lewis theories?

The main strength of Bronsted-Lowry theory is its simplicity and ability to explain a wide range of acid-base reactions. However, it does not account for reactions that do not involve proton transfer. On the other hand, Lewis theory is more comprehensive and can explain a wider range of reactions, but it can be more complex and difficult to apply in some cases.

4. How do Bronsted-Lowry and Lewis theories relate to each other?

Bronsted-Lowry and Lewis theories are complementary to each other. Bronsted-Lowry theory can be seen as a subset of Lewis theory, as it only applies to reactions involving the transfer of protons. Lewis theory expands upon Bronsted-Lowry theory by including reactions that do not involve proton transfer.

5. Which theory is more widely accepted in the scientific community?

Both Bronsted-Lowry and Lewis theories are widely accepted in the scientific community and are used to explain and predict acid-base reactions. However, Lewis theory is generally considered to be more comprehensive and is commonly used in modern chemistry.

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