In the reaction between hydrogen selenide (H₂Se) and water, H₂Se acts as the acid, while water (H₂O) acts as the base. The product SeH⁻ is the conjugate base of the acid H₂Se, and H₃O⁺ is the conjugate acid formed from water. In this context, H₂Se donates a proton (H⁺) to water, resulting in the formation of the hydronium ion (H₃O⁺). The periodic trends indicate that as you move down the periodic table from oxygen to selenium, the acidity typically increases because heavier elements like selenium can stabilize the negative charge of the conjugate base better than lighter elements. Thus, H₂Se is a stronger acid compared to H₂O, which facilitates its role as the proton donor.
4. 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 patterns in the periodic table to explain why the substances you identified acted as the acid and the base in this reaction
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