Difference between amphiprotic and amphoteric (1 Viewer)

[cheezburger]

Hey guys =)

I asked my teacher the difference between amphoteric and amphiprotic the other day, and she told me she had no clue, and said she'd get back to me later. She hasn't mentioned it since, so I came here.

I tried googling this, but I still don't understand it, because it all sounds like pretty much the same thing.

So yeah...please help! I'm so confused =(

 

[Aindan]

for the purposes of this course, yes they are the same thing.
Any substance that acts as an acid and a base (amphoteric) is able to donate a proton or accept a proton (amphoteric).
I think there is a special exception to this except that we don't really have to know it.

 

[rawrence]

Essentially they are the same thing but by theory, they are different. Amphoteric substances relate to having the same properties of acidic and basic oxides whilst amphoprotic relates to the Bronsted-Lowry's definition of an acid and whether they can both donate and accept protons.

 

[Aquawhite]

Essentially they are the same thing but by theory, they are different. Amphoteric substances relate to having the same properties of acidic and basic oxides whilst amphoprotic relates to the Bronsted-Lowry's definition of an acid and whether they can both donate and accept protons.

+1. Perfect answer.

 

[khorne]

REE.

Amphiprotic substances donate or accept H+ ions only, they are the simplest of them.

Amphoprotic substances are defined as acids or bases on the lewis electron theory, that is, they donate lone electron pairs or accept lone electron pairs to make them basic/acidic.

So magnesium hydroxide can dissociate in water into hydroxide ions, making it basic, but magnesium can accept a lone pair from water, so it acts as a lewis acid

 

[cheezburger]

Awesome! Thanks everyone! =D