The conjugate acid of a base is the species formed when a proton (H+) is added to the base. It has the same molecular formula as the base, but differs in its charge by +1.
For example, when the base ammonia (NH3) accepts a hydrogen ion from hydrochloric acid (HCl), the conjugate acid ammonium ion (NH4+) is formed:
NH3 + HCl → NH4+ + Cl-
In general, the reaction between a base and an acid can be represented as:
Base + Acid → Conjugate Acid of Base + Conjugate Base of Acid
The conjugate base of an acid is the species formed when a proton is removed from the acid.
