• Water can be both an acid and a base! Cool, right?

• It can lose a proton (H⁺) and produce a hydroxide anion (OH−) — acting as an acid!

• It can accept a proton (H⁺) and produce a hydronium cation (H₃O⁺) — acting as a base!

  H₂​O (l) ⇌ H + (aq) + OH⁻(aq) (Water as an acid)
  H₂​O (l)  + H⁺ (aq) ⇌ H_3​O⁺(aq) (Water as a base)

💡 Real-World Example: It’s like water can be both Batman and Joker in the world of molecules, maintaining the balance in chemical reactions!

• One water molecule can pass a proton to another!

• Here, one water molecule acts as an acid (donates proton) and the other as a base (accepts proton).

  H_2​O (l) + H₂​O(l) ⇌ H₃​O⁺(aq) + OH⁻(aq)

💡 Real-World Example: Think of it as passing the ball in a game of basketball; the ball is the proton!

• Amphiprotic species can act as both acids and bases, like water!
• Amphoteric species can react with both acids and bases; they have acidic and basic properties.
• All amphiprotic species are amphoteric but not all amphoteric species are amphiprotic.

💡 Real-World Example: Amphiprotic species are like Swiss Army knives, versatile and ready for any situation, while amphoteric species are the multitool kits, not all of them have knives!

• Zinc oxide (ZnO) is amphoteric but not amphiprotic as it can’t donate a proton.

  ZnO(s) + 2HCl (aq) → ZnCl₂​(aq) + H₂​O(l)
  ZnO (s) +2NaO H(aq) + H₂​O(l) → Na₂​[Zn(OH)₄​](aq)

💡 Real-World Example: Zinc oxide is like a rockstar that can play both the guitar and the drums but doesn’t sing (doesn’t donate protons)!