Question
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.
Answers
GPT-4o mini
In the reaction \( \text{H}_2\text{Se} + \text{H}_2\text{O} \rightarrow \text{SeH}^- + \text{H}_3\text{O}^+ \), hydrogen selenide (\( \text{H}_2\text{Se} \)) acts as the acid as it donates a proton (H\(^+\)) to water. Water (\( \text{H}_2\text{O} \)) is the base since it accepts the proton. The conjugate acid formed in this reaction is the hydronium ion (\( \text{H}_3\text{O}^+ \)), which is the product of water gaining a proton. The conjugate base is the selenide ion (\( \text{SeH}^- \)), which is formed from the proton donation by \( \text{H}_2\text{Se} \).
The role of \( \text{H}_2\text{Se} \) as the acid can be attributed to its position in the periodic table; it is a group 16 hydride, similar to hydrogen sulfide (\( \text{H}_2\text{S} \)), and displays acidic behavior due to its ability to release protons. Water's property as a base is due to its polar nature and the presence of lone pairs on the oxygen atom, allowing it to act as a proton acceptor. The stability of the resulting hydronium ion and selenide ion also influences the direction of the reaction.
The role of \( \text{H}_2\text{Se} \) as the acid can be attributed to its position in the periodic table; it is a group 16 hydride, similar to hydrogen sulfide (\( \text{H}_2\text{S} \)), and displays acidic behavior due to its ability to release protons. Water's property as a base is due to its polar nature and the presence of lone pairs on the oxygen atom, allowing it to act as a proton acceptor. The stability of the resulting hydronium ion and selenide ion also influences the direction of the reaction.