Question
Explain the Arrhenius theory of acids and bases.
✓
Answer
The Swedish scientist Arrhenius put forth a theory of acids and bases in the year 1887. This theory gives definitions of acids and bases as follows:
Acid: An acid is a substance which on dissolving in water gives rise to $H$ ion as the only cation. For example, $HCl , H _2 SO _4, H _2 CO _3$
$
\begin{aligned}
& HCl _{\text {(g) }} \underset{\text { dissociation }}{\stackrel{\text { Water }}{\longrightarrow}} H _{( aq )}^{+}+ Cl _{( aq )}^{-} \\
& H _2 SO _{4(\text { () }} \underset{\text { dissociation }}{\stackrel{\text { Water }}{\longrightarrow}} H _{( aq )}^{+}+ HSO _{4 \text { (aq) }}^{-} \\
& HSO _4^{-}( aq ) \stackrel{\text { dissociation }}{\longrightarrow} H _{( aq )}^{+}+ SO _{4( aq )}^{2-} \\
&
\end{aligned}
$
Base: Abase is a substance which on dissolving in water gives rise to the $OH$ ion as the only anion, For example, $NaOH _{,} Ca ( OH )_2$
$
\begin{aligned}
& NaOH _{( s )} \underset{\text { dissociation }}{\stackrel{\text { Water }}{\longrightarrow}} Na _{( aq )}^{+}+ OH _{( aq )}^{-} \\
& Ca ( OH )_{2( s )} \underset{\text { Water }}{\text { dissociation }} \longrightarrow Ca _{( aq )}^{2+}+2 OH _{( aq )} \\
&
\end{aligned}
$
Acid: An acid is a substance which on dissolving in water gives rise to $H$ ion as the only cation. For example, $HCl , H _2 SO _4, H _2 CO _3$
$
\begin{aligned}
& HCl _{\text {(g) }} \underset{\text { dissociation }}{\stackrel{\text { Water }}{\longrightarrow}} H _{( aq )}^{+}+ Cl _{( aq )}^{-} \\
& H _2 SO _{4(\text { () }} \underset{\text { dissociation }}{\stackrel{\text { Water }}{\longrightarrow}} H _{( aq )}^{+}+ HSO _{4 \text { (aq) }}^{-} \\
& HSO _4^{-}( aq ) \stackrel{\text { dissociation }}{\longrightarrow} H _{( aq )}^{+}+ SO _{4( aq )}^{2-} \\
&
\end{aligned}
$
Base: Abase is a substance which on dissolving in water gives rise to the $OH$ ion as the only anion, For example, $NaOH _{,} Ca ( OH )_2$
$
\begin{aligned}
& NaOH _{( s )} \underset{\text { dissociation }}{\stackrel{\text { Water }}{\longrightarrow}} Na _{( aq )}^{+}+ OH _{( aq )}^{-} \\
& Ca ( OH )_{2( s )} \underset{\text { Water }}{\text { dissociation }} \longrightarrow Ca _{( aq )}^{2+}+2 OH _{( aq )} \\
&
\end{aligned}
$
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