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He modified the definition of acids to include Lewis acids. A Lewis acid is a species that can accept a lone pair of electrons from another species. Conversely, a Lewis base is a species that can donate a lone pair of electrons to another species.

Previous definitions of acids and bases include the Bronsted-Lowry theory, which says that an acid is a compound that produces H+ ions and a base is a compound that produces OH- ions.

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Q: How did Gilbert Lewis change the definition of an acid?
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Definition of an acid not dependent of the solvent?

The most general definition of an acid relies on Lewis acid/base theory, which defines an acid as a substance (usually an atom on a substance) that can accept an electron pair from another group.For example, the proton H+ can accept a lone electron pair from OH- and is therefore an acid by the Lewis definition (it is also a Brønsted-Lowry acid as well). The hydrogens in the hydronium ion, H3O+ (a more accurate representation of the "lone" proton, which chemists often use only for convenience) are also Lewis acids by the same reasoning.Iron(III) chloride, FeCl3, is an example of a Lewis acid that does not fit under the Arrhenius or Brønsted-Lowry definitions - it can accept a lone pair from, say, a chloride ion. This is particularly useful in Friedel-Crafts alkylation and acylation reactions.


Is Cl a Lewis acid or Lewis base?

Neither, it's a salt.


What is the common constituent in all acid solutions?

It's the hydrogen ion: H+The answer above is only partly true. First of all, in any aqueous solution, it is hydronium, H3O+, and not the hydrogen ion that is found. Secondly, this answer assumes the Arrhenius definition (or Bronstead-Lowry definition) of acids. The most general definition of acids is the Lewis definition, which states that acids are electron acceptors. This has nothing to do with hydrogen or hydronium, and using this definition, an acidic substance may not have any H+ or H3O+ present. Using the Lewis definition, there is no common constituent in acid solutions in fact!


Why is SiH4 a Lewis Acid?

No. Lewis acids are electron acceptors, forming adducts.


What happenes in a Lewis acid-base reaction?

The Lewis base donates one or more pairs of electrons to the Lewis acid in order to form a compound with one or more dative bonds.

Related questions

Who is given credit for giving a broader definition of acids and bases?

The most inclusive definition of acids and basis is the Lewis definition, named after Gilbert N. Lewis. A Lewis acid and base is an electron-pair acceptor and electron-pair donator, respectively.


Whose acid definition is the broadest?

Lewis


What scientists came up with the concept of conjugate acid-base pairs?

Gilbert N, Lewis


Is water a Lewis acid?

Base...donates lone pair off the oxygen. Learn the definition of lewis acid and base before your exam.


What is a Lewis base acid?

Lewis acid is an electron acceptor / Lewis base is an electron donor. It is helpful to use this definition of acid and base in (1) organic chemistry (2) also when there are no Hydrogens present in the molecule. BF3 is a Lewis acid it seeks out and can accept electrons.


What is the difference between acid and Lewis acid?

An acid is the old term used back in the day to categorize that would release a free positively charged hydrogen atom when dissolved in water. A Lewis acid is a substance that will except an electron pair from a Lewis base, not limited to h2o as the solvent. Though every substance that fit the original definition of an acid is also a Lewis acid, not every Lewis acid is a traditional acid, like AlCl3 and BF3.


What of the three acid definitions is the broadest?

Lewis theory gives the most general argumentation on acids and bases as at the present time.


Does The Lewis definition describes an acid as an electron-pair acceptor in a reaction true or false?

Yes, true.


What is a Lewis acid?

A Lewis acid accepts an electron pair from a base. ---APEX--


Is HCl a lewis acid?

No it is not a Lewis Acid, H+ is!


What element has to be present for a compound to be an acid?

This depends on your definition of an acid. The answer is presumably Hydrogen, because most definitions of acids and bases require compounds to donate H+ ions or produce H+ ions. However, there is an alternative definition of acid put forth by G.N. Lewis (the Lewis structure guy) that says that a molecule is an acid if it is a lone-pair acceptor. According to that definition such things as BF3 would be considered acids.


What is the definition of Lewis Acids and Bases?

A Lewis acid is therefore any substance, such as the H+ ion, that can accept a pair of nonbonding electrons. In other words, a Lewis acid is an electron-pair acceptor. A Lewis base is any substance, such as the OH- ion, that can donate a pair of nonbonding electrons. A Lewis base is therefore an electron-pair donor.