In the reaction between hydrogen selenide (H₂Se) and water (H₂O), hydrogen selenide acts as the acid, as it donates a proton (H⁺) to the water molecule. Water, which accepts the proton, acts as the base. The resulting species, hydronium ion (H₃O⁺), is the conjugate acid formed from water, while the selenide ion (SeH⁻) is the conjugate base derived from hydrogen selenide. The acidic behavior of H₂Se is attributed to selenium's position in Group 16 of the periodic table, where elements exhibit increasing acidity down the group, allowing H₂Se to release protons more readily compared to water.
Hydrogen selenide ( H2Se ) reacts with water according to the following equation.
H2Se+H2O→SeH−+H3O+
In three to five sentences, identify the acid, base, conjugate acid, and conjugate base in this reaction. Use the periodic table to explain why each substance acted as the acid or the base in this reaction.
(4 points)
1 answer