Can water be an acid or base

1 answer

Water can act as both an acid and a base. In the context of the Bronsted-Lowry theory, water can donate a proton (H+) and act as an acid, forming the hydronium ion (H3O+). Water can also accept a proton and act as a base, forming the hydroxide ion (OH-). The extent to which water acts as an acid or a base depends on the conditions and the presence of other substances.