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Lewis Acids and Bases quiz

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  • What is the definition of a Lewis acid according to Gilbert Lewis?
    A Lewis acid is an electron pair acceptor.
  • What types of ions are common examples of Lewis acids?
    Positively charged hydrogen ions and metals are common examples of Lewis acids.
  • Why can elements with less than eight electrons act as Lewis acids?
    They have room to accept a lone pair of electrons to achieve a stable octet configuration.
  • Give an example of a group 2 element that acts as a Lewis acid and explain why.
    Beryllium in BeCl2 acts as a Lewis acid because it only has four electrons around it and can accept more to reach an octet.
  • How does aluminum bonded to hydrogen act as a Lewis acid?
    Aluminum in AlH3 has only six electrons around it and can accept a lone pair to get closer to the octet rule.
  • What is a Lewis base according to the Lewis definition?
    A Lewis base is an electron pair donor.
  • What structural feature do most Lewis bases have?
    Most Lewis bases have lone pairs on the central element or carry a negative charge.
  • List three common examples of Lewis bases.
    Ammonia (NH3), water (H2O), and hydroxide ion (OH-) are common Lewis bases.
  • How does a reaction between a Lewis acid and a Lewis base proceed?
    The Lewis base donates a lone pair to the Lewis acid, forming a new bond.
  • What is the product called when a Lewis acid and base react?
    The product is called an adduct.
  • What happens to the charge of a Lewis base after it donates a lone pair?
    The Lewis base typically becomes less negative or more positive after donating a lone pair.
  • What happens to the charge of a Lewis acid after it accepts a lone pair?
    The Lewis acid becomes more negative after accepting a lone pair.
  • Why can nonmetal oxides like CO2 act as Lewis acids?
    Nonmetal oxides have central elements with pi bonds that can accept lone pairs from Lewis bases.
  • How does the Lewis definition of acids and bases differ from the Brønsted-Lowry definition?
    The Lewis definition focuses on electron pair transfer, while Brønsted-Lowry focuses on proton (H+) transfer.
  • What is the significance of charge redistribution in Lewis acid-base reactions?
    Charge redistribution shows that the base becomes less negative and the acid more negative after electron pair sharing.