Brønsted–Lowry acid

Definition

A Brønsted–Lowry acid is a substance that donates a proton (H+) to another substance in a chemical reaction. In the context of organic chemistry, it participates in polar covalent bond formations by transferring a proton to a base.

Related terms

Proton donor: A substance that releases hydrogen ions (H+) when dissolved in water, essentially donating protons in the process.

Polar covalent bond:

A type of chemical bond where two atoms share a pair of electrons unequally, leading to partial positive and negative charges.

Conjugate base:

The species that remains after a Brønsted–Lowry acid has donated its proton, capable of accepting a proton in the reverse reaction