Question

Identify the acid, the base, the conjugate acid, and the conjugate base in the following equation: OH- + HCN --> H2O + CN- (4 points) True False HCN & CN- Acid & Conjugate Base OH- & H2O Acid & Conjugate Base HCN & CN- Base & Conjugate Acid OH- & H2O Base & Conjugate Acid

Answer 1

Let's analyze the reaction:

\[ \text{OH}^- + \text{HCN} \rightarrow \text{H}_2\text{O} + \text{CN}^- \]

1. Identify the Acid and the Base:

   • HCN (hydrogen cyanide) acts as an acid because it donates a proton (H⁺).
   • OH⁻ (hydroxide ion) acts as a base because it accepts a proton.

2. Identify the Conjugate Acid and Conjugate Base:

   • After donating a proton, HCN becomes CN⁻ (cyanide ion), which is the conjugate base.
   • After accepting a proton, OH⁻ becomes H₂O (water), which is the conjugate acid.

Now, let's summarize the findings:

• Acid: HCN
• Base: OH⁻
• Conjugate Acid: H₂O
• Conjugate Base: CN⁻

Now, let's validate the provided statements:

1. HCN & CN⁻ Acid & Conjugate Base: True
2. OH⁻ & H₂O Acid & Conjugate Base: False (OH⁻ is the base and H₂O is the conjugate acid)
3. HCN & CN⁻ Base & Conjugate Acid: False (HCN is the acid, not the base)
4. OH⁻ & H₂O Base & Conjugate Acid: True

So the correct statements are:

• HCN & CN⁻ Acid & Conjugate Base: True
• OH⁻ & H₂O Base & Conjugate Acid: True